HeartEdge in Southend & at #standtogether

 This week Sam Wells gave two lectures at Bellevue Baptist Church in Southend speaking about what is means to be the kind of church which survives and thrives in world and kingdom. Bellvue Baptist is a HeartEdge member and organised this event to share HeartEdge thinking more widely in their area. Among those churches supporting the event was another HeartEdge member, Shoeburyness & Thorpe Bay Baptist Church.

Sam spoke about different models that the Church has used to support and fund mission and ministry suggesting that the benefactor and steward models that have been widely used are no longer adequate and that commerce needs to be part of the financing, as well as the mission, of the Church. He then expanded on this further in the second talk by setting out different approaches (instrumental, exemplary and social) churches can take in regard to engaging in commercial activities and the implications these approaches have in mission.

Sam also spoke about HeartEdge as a network that wants to help churches find a future bigger than their past, with congregation, culture, commerce and compassion being at the centre of this vision.

Hear these two talks at http://www.bvbc.org.uk/news.

HeartEdge has also been to #standtogether, the SALT Network conference held at Methodist Central Hall this week. The conference was organised by Christian Aid's SALT Business Network to learn how to support and equip changemakers in whichever business to which they have been called by God. The conference included input by business leaders from a range of sectors on how they’re transforming business, communities and lives. Guests included: Michael Hastings – Global Head of Citizenships for KPMG International; David Connor – founder of the 2030hub and Coethica; Sophi Tranchell MBE – Managing Director of Divine Chocolate, the innovative international Fairtrade cocoa cooperative in Ghana; and Martin Rich – cofounder and Executive Director of Future Fit Foundation.

I shared a HeartEdge workshop session on Start:Stop, the mission initiative that provides 10 minute reflections for working people. There was real appreciation for the Start:Stop approach from those at this workshop exploring ministry to working people. Many of those contributing to the conference had also been involved with the HeartEdge event on Churches & Commerce earlier in the year. It was great for HeartEdge to connect again with our friends at Anthony Collins Solicitors, Quakers and Business Group, Faith In Business, and all those involved in the SALT Network.

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The Song of Kingdom Come.