Upcoming Anglican Evangelical Assembly Challenges Churches to Reshape

In the shadow of the critical release of the Lambeth Commission report on 18th October, the Anglican Evangelical Assembly 2004 will be held on Saturday 2nd October. Hosted by the Church of England Evangelical Council (CEEC), the one day Assembly with the theme, “Fit for Change - Shaping the Church Today”, will take place at St Michael’s Church, Chester Square, London from 10:00 - 4:45pm.

As Anglican Evangelicals make up the mainstream of the Church of England, their voice has been very strong and influential over the schism of gay bishop ordinations and same sex marriages among the worldwide Anglicans. In the Church at war, this Anglican Evangelical Assembly has drawn even more concern from Christian leaders.

As the theme suggests, the Assembly is expected to bring forward the challenge for the Anglican Evangelical Church to reshape itself. Despite the deadlock in various debates within the Church, the Church is facing a drop in membership numbers, which has woken up Christian leaders to make speed in reaching an increasingly lost culture, as well as finding out new kinds of Church and Church planting.

In response to the upcoming assembly, the General Director of the Church Pastoral Aid Society (CPAS) Rev Bob Robert Key wrote an article to the Church of England’s newspaper, showing his support to the theme of the assembly.

He sharply pointed out the problems that the Church of England currently faces. Looking upon so many successful and exciting ways of making churches around the world, such as “Saddleback”, “Willow Creek” and “Holy Trinity Brompton Alpha Course”, the question for the Church of England is not just simply trying to adopt one of these. In fact, “Survival” appears to be the greatest concern for the dying Church.

Rev Robert Key warned that during the reshaping of the Church, the Church should not fall into the trap of “Consumerism”. He suggested, “The great gospel theology is still in place: God is indeed sovereign; Christ’s finished work is the only hope of the world; the power of the Holy Spirit is the only source of energy and dynamism for God’s Church.”

However, he acknowledged, “between the theology and the experience of many congregations a great gulf is fixed. This mixture of realism and faith in a great God, informs the 2004 Anglican Evangelical Assembly.”

“The Assembly will challenge and encourage, in order to move us out of our comfort zones and remind us that everything we do is aimed at bringing people to the Lord Jesus Christ for his greater glory and their eternal salvation,” he commented.

The following prominent Christian leaders are to be presented as guest speaker on the Assembly:

Bishop Michael Nazir-Ali, Bishop of Rochester, Author of “Shapes of the Church to Come”
He will speak on the theme “Shaping a confused Church”, addressing congregations that are deeply confused by all the self-imposed wounds of the Anglican Communion.

Chris Neal
Speaking on the theme “Cell Church”, he addresses a situation in which the church is often seen as an institution. He will put forward the point - a Church that focuses on “relationship reality” would be so much more evangelistically effective in a post-modern society.

Hugh Palmer and Steve Midgley
They will speak on the theme “Church Planting”; explaining how to working with and despite Diocesan structures.

John Valentine
He will introduce the well-tried model from Holy Trinity, Brompton by applying the Alpha Course.

Ali Campbell and Lucy Plumb
They will deal with the subject of Youth Church, addressing a Church that is at present ageing. They will give some wonderful examples of youth-friendly ministries such as Soul in the City, New Wine, CPAS Ventures and Scripture Union holidays.

Rev Bob Robert Key, General Director of the Church Pastoral Aid Society (CPAS)
He will address the traditional Church that needs transforming.

Before the agenda of the Assembly proceeds, Paul Gardner will lead a Bible reading and Steve James will lead the worship. The Assembly is free of charge but registration is required. Please visit the official website of the CEEC to download the registration form.