Local Church
Passionate about Local Churches
The church is “the body of Christ”, the active, audible, visible, influential presence of Jesus in the world. And the church is the fruit of the Holy Spirit’s work and the place of his indwelling, a first-glimmering of the new creation, an outpost of heaven on earth.
Its potential in each location is immense.
Which is why ReSource wants to invest in churches of all shapes and backgrounds, and most especially in little, local and ordinary churches keeping a Christian presence and witness going in villages, outer-urban estates and inner city areas across the country.
Sanctuary Days and Weekends
Sanctuary events are opportunities to step aside for a while to find the spiritual refreshment that so many of us need and long for. They include worship in a familiar style, teaching, silence, ministry, and the breaking of bread, with an emphasis throughout on meeting with God in the power and fellowship of the Holy Spirit, all facilitated by a ReSource team in consultation with local leadership.
We have developed this new ministry in response to the many voices we heard in the ReSource Future consultations asking us to offer a day or weekend which in our often busy or distracted church lives simply gives time and opportunity to seek God in his sanctuary, the place (as Tom Wright describes it) “where heaven and earth meet”. No preparation. No homework. Nothing imposed. Just space to be in the presence of God, and to be loved, challenged, equipped, ministered to be readied again for the demands of life and work.
In our consultations many people spoke to us about a prevailing “weariness” in church life, and others about a longing to “go deeper” into the things of God and the life of the Spirit. In response to this we have developed Sanctuary Days and Weekends to provide an uncluttered space for God, with teaching and sensitive ministry, allowing dry lives to soak for a while in the living waters of the Spirit.
We are really looking forward to Sanctuary events becoming a regular part of churches’ lives, offering a place of retreat from which we can then advance. Maybe saying with David as we go, “I love your Sanctuary, Lord, the place where your glorious presence dwells”, Psalm 26:8 (NLT)
Retreats, Events, Weekends and Sundays
Often a special event for a church, a Day or a Weekend with worship, teaching and fellowship, can have more effect on people’s lives individually and on the life of the church collectively than any number of Sunday gatherings. There is something about setting time aside for God that he honours. When we intentionally draw close to him, he invariable, infact always, draws near to us.
Since ReSource started in 2004 we have loved facilitating just these kind of Days and Weekends at the invitation of churches across the country, and we look forward to serving the church in this way for many years to come. There is a wide range of possibilities from events for fellowship, teaching and fun; though retreats; to teaching events on a particular theme; and much more.
We shape every event in close discussion with church leaders, and we speak on the themes that we decide on together. We especially love to teach about the person and work of God the Holy Spirit, and to delve into our core themes of renewal, discipleship, and mission, or to take passages of scripture to unpack and apply. There are lots of possibilities, so if you have something different in mind just ask us!
And do ask us if you would like a Sunday preacher on one of our core themes.
Church Councils and Leadership Teams
ReSource is often asked to facilitate days or weekends for leadership groups serving local churches, be that a staff team, a Ministry Team, an eldership, PCC or group of denominational leaders. We love to do this, and have a team of Ministers who can bring considerable experience and gifting on a range of leadership issues.
Though the days or weekends are always designed in consultation with local leaders, and are sometimes led alongside local leaders, there can often be benefit in having someone from ‘outside’ to serve the group, either with teaching, or specialised input or to lead the entire time.
The Days or Weekends could have a Sanctuary focus, be mostly about retreat and refuelling, or could be part of a process of discerning the mind of God and the church in a Mission Action Planning Process. Or the focus could be on some aspect of leadership.
Whatever we do we want to recognise the presence of the Holy Spirit in our gatherings, and to engage with the Spirit as the one who truly leads and inspires the church of Jesus, and whose mission the churches’ leaders are called to engage with.
Church Partnership Scheme
While we enjoy our one-off contact with churches, we have found that there is added value if we are on a longer journey with a church or group of churches. We can maybe run an event a year for you, pray for you on a regular basis, support your church leader and leadership team or provide your churches with a dedicated ReSource Companion.
We would love to discuss with you what it would mean to be a ReSource Partner Church if this might be of interest. Just let us know. What we include can be tailored in a way that serves you best.
As a guide, though, we have developed four main tiers within the Partnership Scheme, which can have any number of intermediary tiers as best fits the needs of your church or group of churches.
We will need to cover costs, and we hope that some churches might be able to give beyond this to support our ministry as an element of the Scheme, but as with the whole of ReSource’s ministry we never want finance to be an obstacle to churches being in an active relationship with us.
Level 1: Newsletters supplied each quarter + included in prayer diary and prayed for by ReSource intercessors
Level 2: as level 1 + ReSource facilitates one (or more) event(s) for your church or group of churches each year
Level 3: as level 2 + ReSource Companion to visit and support the church and its leadership on an agreed number of visits, or as necessary
Level 4: as level 3 + the church leader is enrolled in the Alongside programme
If any of these, or a particular permutation of the various elements, is something that you are interested in for your church, please be in touch with us, so that we can explore with you what might be the best level of partnership for you and your church or group of churches.