Christians excited about plans to grow Christ's Church

Representatives of 12 Christian denominations shared their experiences of how to best grow Christ's church so it continues to be a transformative and positive force in society.

The Scottish Church Planting Network Conference brought together 24 speakers from across the country to share their involvement in church planting in rural and urban areas and inspiration for others to follow in their footsteps.

Around 150 people attended the "encouraging and thought provoking" two-day event at St Paul's and St George's Church in Edinburgh.

A wide range of seminars were held each day on topics including Church Planting – Does it Work? with Rev Neil Glover, minister of Aberfeldy, Dull and Weem, and Grantully, Logierait and Strathtay parish churches and convenor of the Church of Scotland's Seeds for Growth fund.

Rev Ruth Kennedy, Sanctuary First and Digital Ministries Advisor, discussed digital ministry and how people who do not physically attend services can be reached and nurtured and Lynsey Paterson from InTogether, a Perth North Church mission initiative, led a session on ‘Building a Church Planting Pipeline'.

Fiona Stewart of Foolproof Creative Arts hosted podcasts with attendees including the Forres Community Church with Rev Stuart Finlayson, Community Pioneer Minister and Seeds for Growth with Rev Neil Glover and church staff David Williams and Hannah Sanderson.

God's glory

Deep connections were made through worshipping and praying together with a common goal to see the gospel – the Bible narrative covering the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ - heard across Scotland and beyond.

One attendee said: "It was great to see so many different expressions, denominations, churches, leaders willing to listen to each other for God's glory and Scotland's good."

Another added: "The highlight was the strong warmth, unity and family atmosphere amongst all the attendees.

"The sense of God further filling his house in Scotland towards the full harvest."

An attendee said: "I don't think I've been at such a useful conference with so much diversity"

Kay Cathcart, head of Ministries and Mission for the Church of Scotland, said: "The Scottish Church Planting Network Conference was a wonderful opportunity to learn from those who have been experimenting, learning, failing and succeeding in church planting.

"Opportunities to hear from experienced practitioners, learning from denominational and congregational leaders was illuminating and incredibly helpful.

"We are looking to develop a church planting strategy, shaped by the local, regional and national and this was a valuable part of the process."

Funding available to congregations

Last month at the General Assembly, Rev Tommy MacNeil, convener of the Faith Action Programme Leadership Team, said the Church has been engaged in a season of transition for some time but is now preparing for growth.

Churches will find it easier to access a share of £25 million worth of funding after the General Assembly unanimously agreed to a change of application criteria.

The Seeds for Growth fund allows Kirk congregations to apply for grants ranging from £1000 to £100,000 to support church growth.

Now even more churches will be eligible to claim a share of the pot following an amendment proposed by Mr MacNeil.

The minister of Martin's Memorial Church in Stornoway warned that the existing criteria, which focussed on projects aimed at planting new worshipping communities and working with the under-40s, was too restrictive, preventing churches from building on the good work they are already doing.

Seeds of Growth funding will now be available to "foster discipleship and revitalisation within established congregations with the aim of growing an existing congregation or developing a new worshipping community."

Mr MacNeil said: "We want to take the whole Church on a journey to a new brighter and better future."