Alison Morgan
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Do not remember the former things, or consider the things of old. I am about to do a new thing: now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert, to give drink to my chosen people, the people whom I formed for myself, so that they might declare my praise. Isaiah 43. 19-21
Why the name ReSource?
This is a complex and exciting time for the Christian Church worldwide. We want to serve that Church, in all its traditions and denominations, as it travels through the turmoil of a reformation as vital as the great Reformation of the 16th century. We believe this is a radical time, a time of return to roots and foundations, of "going back to Galilee" - a time to return to the source of our being. The new name carries lots of meanings, but that "return to source" is at the heart of it.
We wanted a name which would (like Anglican Renewal Ministries) hold fast to the idea of renewal but take account of the fact that in this culture renewal must be shaped by the needs of the local setting; and a name which would reflect a teamwork approach to ministry. We knew that in a soundbite world we would need a single word which would both name our offering and describe our style.
ReSource is a simple name which describes a continued renewal ministry – resources are what the church needs to help it grow, in each place in its own way, towards the fulness of Christ; and from the beginning it has been the vision of ARM to resource and renew the local church in this way. And yet as we thought about it we realised that the name ReSource also expresses our core convictions:
Resources are those things which are provided by the Holy Spirit, the Paraclete, who is called alongside to offer help, counsel, encouragement, exhortation, advocacy, protection, friendship, comfort and all the other associated words which are carried in the verb parakaleo.
ReSource: helping us to reconnect with God, the source of our being. We believe God is calling the Church to change, to set aside old ways of doing things and reach out to a world in transition. We are convinced that he wishes to offer nourishment and care to his Church, to cleanse and renew her in hope, and to bring healing and restoration both to her and through her. We want to be part of that process.
ReSource: seeking streams of living water, the Holy Spirit who brings us life. We rejoice in our relationship with the Holy Spirit. We welcome his calling to resource and strengthen the local church whatever her type, setting and tradition. We will offer not blueprints or formulae, but responsive and servant-hearted support, working with local leadership to bring challenge and develop fresh vision in each place.
ReSource: enabling individuals and churches to fulfil their calling as part of the body of Jesus Christ in the community. ARM was founded to help the local church to embrace the spiritual renewal which had transformed the lives of so many individuals since the beginning of the charismatic movement 20 years earlier. We believe the time has now come consciously to develop the relationship between renewal and mission so as to work for the transformation of our communities.
The word resource comes from the Latin resurgere – which means ‘rise again', or ‘resurrect'. It means, therefore, ‘risen'. We serve a risen Saviour, and we look for resurrection, renewal, new life in everything that we are and do. Being made new is a constant biblical concept. Renewal is built into the rhythm of God's relationship with the created universe, and renewal is a work of the Holy Spirit. Our calling is to work for the renewal of the church, for mission, in the power of the Holy Spirit.
I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. To him who is thirsty I will give to drink without cost from the spring of the water of life. Revelation 21.6
ReSource : Renewal for mission in the power of the Holy Spirit. What is renewal, exactly? Click here to see what we think...About Alison Morgan
Alison Morgan was born in London. She has a degree in languages and a PhD in medieval Christian literature from Cambridge, and has taught in a number of UK universities. Ordained in 1995, she has written three books: Dante and the Medieval Other World (CUP 1990), an academic study of popular beliefs concerning life after death, followed by What Happens When We Die?, a readable look at the evidence for life after death and the various ways we seek to understand it, (English edition Kingsway 1990, Chinese edition Campus Evangelical Fellowship Press, 1999). Her most recent book, The Wild Gospel, was published by Monarch as our first ReSource book in the UK in 2004, and in the USA in 2005. It is available from the ReSource office (click here). Alison is on the staff of Holy Trinity, Leicester, where she oversees the prayer ministry of the church. She is a member of the Council of SOMA UK, and an Associate of ReSource.
Her website is www.alisonmorgan.co.uk.
