Jubilee Centre celebrates 25th anniversary

The Jubilee Centre celebrated 25 years of pursuing a biblical vision for society on Tuesday with a day of prayer and reflection.

The anniversary was joined by the centre's founder, Dr Michael Schluter, and the public policy centre's leader since January, John Hayward.

Dr Schluter said his dream of seeing Britain turn back to Christ had not yet happened but remained positive about the progress that had been made over the last 25 years, including the launch of the Jubilee Centre research programme and the Relationships Foundation.

"I just praise God that even though what I originally thought was going to happen hasn't happened, there are still good things to celebrate...God hasn't seen Britain turn back to Christ yet but perhaps we will yet see some national return to our Christian faith. Let's pray for that," he said.

Mr Hayward, meanwhile, reaffirmed the centre's commitment to being a movement of organisations, churches and individual Christians advancing a positive biblical social agenda.

"Contrary to the way that the media often present Christians as being behind and being against this and that, we want a positively expressed agenda and we want it to be coherent," said Mr Hayward, during the celebrations in St Peter's church, central London.

"We want to help others within the church to express confidently and coherently what God has laid down in the Bible and which is still relevant today."

Mr Hayward said the Jubilee Centre would continue to work with strategic partners over the coming years to make the vision a reality.

"By ourselves we are not going to achieve that much. Throughout the Bible God wants a united church, and in partnership with others we can achieve with them their goals and our goals, in terms of trying to be a positive Christian influence on society around us, in order to equip the church and Christians and respond to the challenges that society faces day to day."

In terms of practical measures, the Jubilee Centre announced plans to engage more with younger Christians through a number of new internship posts, as well as produce new resources examining biblical social teaching and seeking its application in society.

"God's timeless wisdom is eternally relevant to all of us in every country throughout the world, in every culture, and every time," Mr Hayward added.

Other speakers included Nola Leach, Chief Executive of CARE, and Ann Holt, Bible Society's Director of Programme.
Ms Holt said many Christians lived by an invisible contract with society not to be more Christian.

"The Jubilee Centre stands prophetically to bust open the lie of that," she said, "and I often think that one of Satan's most effective strategies is to fragment us as Christians in such a way that we never punch at the weight required to see this country turn back to Jesus Christ ... unless Christians decide to renege on that contract with society, we are not going to get anywhere."

Ms Leach added, "If as Christians we really believe that Jesus is Lord we actually have a right to speak out but it's how we speak out and what we do that is so fundamental...We need to speak out with the backing of a reasoned voice and good quality research into the areas which affect our society fundamentally.

"The work is so big but together under God we can do something which we sincerely believe and pray will make that Christian difference, which will transform our society, which will give hope. We have the answers. How we disseminate that and how we encourage people to be involved is the fundamental issue."