Session leader: Paul Hackwood + Guests
Paul Hackwood is Chief Executive of Church Urban Fund, and has previously been Archdeacon of Loughborough and Vicar of Thornbury. He has extensive experience of church based social action work.
Session outline: Social Engagement and Sharing Your Faith
Church based social action has increased 40% over the last 5 years and continues to grow. Over 95% of churches run some sort of service to their community. A fifth of the population of the country each year comes into contact with local churches through the services they provide to their local community and this constitutes a real opportunity for sharing the story of Jesus Christ. This workshop will explore the role of social action in promoting discipleship and church growth. We will talk about some of the theology underpinning this work and some of its practical outcomes, particularly how to understand and articulate the relationship between Confident Christians, Growing Churches and Transformed Communities in ways which are lively and interesting. We will also explore the when - and how – it is right to speak about Christian faith and when – and how - it is not, when supporting those who may for one reason or another be vulnerable.