Life Development Consultation

13 November 2001

The Stanborough Centre, Watford

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On Tuesday 13 November twenty-eight pastors, departmental directors and administrators from the North and South England Conferences and the British Union Conference office, gathered together in the new Stanborough Centre for a consultation meeting on the "Life Development" project which we reported on two weeks ago. The general purpose of "Life Development" is to provide an overall evangelistic strategy for the Church in the UK and Ireland over the next few years. A series of multi-media programmes, which will be produced and broadcast in 2003, will provide a focal point for the Life Development strategy but the main effort will go into preparation and follow-up work either side of this event.

BUC President Pastor Cecil Perry gave the opening address and devotional at the meeting and stressed the need for us as a Church to have a big project to work towards. "Some individuals are interested in the corner shop," he said, "but there comes a time when we need to broaden our view and look at the hypermarket." Pastor Perry went on to comment on the excellent ideas he had heard from innovative pastors at the recent ministers' meetings in De Bron, Holland. "Collectively we have the potential to do something unusual and exciting for God. We need to take risks if we are to reach the post-modern people of today."

Many of the pastors present at the consultation meeting were currently experimenting with new methods of evangelism and most emphasised the need to re-learn the skill of making friends with people outside of the Church. TED Communication director Pastor Miroslav Pujic chaired the meeting and was asked many questions about how the Life Development concept could be shaped and owned by the pastors and members in the territory of the British Isles. "We're not here because we have all the answers," he said. "We need to learn from you, especially in the crucial areas of contact generation and follow-up."

After an excellent lunch, prepared in the specialist catering kitchen at the Stanborough Centre, those present at the consultation meeting divided into small groups, each discussing particular aspects of Life Development. By the end of the process there was a broad consensus that Life Development could provide a very exciting opportunity for the growth of the Adventist Church over the next few years.

As a broad outline, Life Development will initially consist of four main sections. These have been given provisional names which indicate their function. The first phase is concerned with building friendships and is entitled "Get Connected". Pastor Dalbert Elias, who helped to oversee the Net '98 programme, said that this first phase would be crucial. "We, and our members, need to re-connect with the people in our neighbourhoods. Not necessarily because we want them to join our Church, but because we care about them as people. Only when we have learned how our neighbours feel and think can we really understand how we can bring Jesus to them."

The second phase of Life Development will be a major media event featuring Pastor Dwight Nelson, who proved popular with members and visitors alike during Net '98. Entitled "Evidence" it will probably take the form of a TV chat show chaired by Dwight Nelson, but with input from the studio audience and the viewing public. "Dwight has so much expertise," said Pastor Pujic. "It's hard to think of anyone who would be better than him and we have had some good preliminary negotiations with him and the team that he will work with." It is hoped that the programmes will be made available by satellite, web-casts, video and DVD.

The third phase will be the all-important follow-up. Entitled "Mind the Gap" the concept has been likened to an Adventist version of the Alpha Course. Special study guides and multi-media products will be made available to those taking part and all materials will be gospel-oriented.

The fourth phase of Life Development is entitled "Experience the Joy" and is intended to introduce Sabbath worship to those who have already had a good introduction to the Church. The materials for this part of Life Development will be most familiar to Adventists as they are designed to systematically cover all twenty-seven Adventist fundamental beliefs.

"What makes this Life Development approach different from what we have tried before," said Alan Hodges, Ministerial Association director for the BUC, "is that we are trying to start where people really are, not where we wish they were."

 

	Pastor Lorance Johnson
	Pastor David Cox with Pastor Brian Webster behind
	Pastor Miroslav Pujic, chairing the meeting
	Pastor Cecil Perry with Pastor K C Henry behind
	Pastor Brian Webster with Pastor David Cox behind
	View from the front or the meeting room in the Stanborough Centre
	Eddie Hypolite with Pastor K C Henry behind
	Pastor Des Rafferty with Pastor Curtis Murphy and Drene Somasundram behind
	Pastor Des Rafferty with Pastor Paul Haworth just in the foreground
	Pastor Miroslav Pujic
	Pastor Peter Roennfeldt
	Pastor Michael Hamilton
	Pastor Malcolm Watson with Pastor Richard Delisser behind
	Pastor Vlado Godina speaking, with Pastor Richard Holder in the foreground
	Pastor Dalbir Massih with Pastor David Cox behind
	Pastor Jeff Niclolson with Pastor Curtis Murphy and Drene Somasundram behind
	Front to back: Pastor Michael Hamilton, Pastor Lorance Johnson, Pastor David Neal, Pastor Dalbert Elias
	Pastor Lorance Johnson and Mr Roger Neal
	One of the small discussion groups, chaired by Pastor Dalbert Elias
	Eddie Hypolite