08Jun 2017 by Nigel Ring

What do you want to leave behind?

Burundi, Equipping, Handing over, Older generation, Serving
Jesus said 'It is finished' as he hung on the cross and yielded up his spirit. This was no cry of relief that the pain was over but rather a shout of victory! Will you be able to say someday 'It is finished' with the same confidence that Jesus had? Do you know what your 'it' is? Will you have faithfully fulfilled 'it'? Recently I ended a series 'Grace-filled or Grumpy?' addressed to those in their later years. I thought I had finished, but have just watched this video 'What do you want to leave behind' by one of my heroes, Simon Guillebaud, who ministers selflessly in Burundi, and I felt I should add a postcript. He talks about his grandmother who was a missionary in Rwanda and was part of the…
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06Jun 2017 by Nigel Ring

Management of Change pt 2 – Leadership Foundations

Administration in the Church, Administrative Skills, Equipping, Management of Change
I continue the series on Management of Change by guest writer Gary Borland. Enthusiasm and Optimism are not enough Like change management, the bookshelves, libraries and online resources offer so much (at times apparently conflicting) material and advice that many simply don’t use any of it. Combine that with coaches, mentors and consultancy firms promising you things they can’t always deliver, and you could be forgiven for thinking that only the particularly gifted can manage or lead. That said, combinations of all of these are required if we are to develop into effective, high performing leaders and managers, rather than simply assuming that osmosis, appointment to a leadership role, experience and a liberal dose of enthusiasm and optimism will win the day. Leadership and management are both vital components of…
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01Jun 2017 by Nigel Ring

Important Conferences – 1. Administration 2. The Poor

Administration in the Church, Administrative Skills, Jubilee+, Poor
Bookings have recently opened for two very important conferences. Please book now to get the benefit of discounted rates Mastering Kingdom Administration Sept 25th - 28th 2017 Milton Keynes, UK This is a special event: three days of equipping for those involved in any aspect of administration and the final day for them to attend the conference with members of the leadership of their churches to learn about working in teams. Paul Manwaring is the Main speaker who will take many of the sessions. Monday 25 September 2017 – Administration's Time Has Come Administration's time is now. Revival, reformation and renaissance require the gift in the hands of Spirit-filled administrators, leaders and managers. Come and be equipped, inspired and empowered. Tuesday 26 September 2017 – Divine Order Often we meet tension…
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31May 2017 by Nigel Ring

Management of Change pt 1 – Change and Transformation

Administration in the Church, Administrative Skills, Equipping, Management of Change
But the noble make noble plans, and by noble deeds they stand (Isaiah 32:8) Introduction The local church is frequently undergoing change, yet the skills needed to carry out these changes do not come into the normal training packages of leaders in the Newfrontiers family. With this in mind I invited Gary Borland to write a series for me (see below for Gary’s background). Gary, who has extensive experience in this area, has been a key player in helping Guy Miller and his team to define the vision, strategy, and implementation for the Commission sphere of churches, a process that is now agreed and well underway. 'Gary has opened our eyes to the process and skills required to manage change effectively as he has helped us to clarify and articulate our…
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25May 2017 by Nigel Ring

Burundi: Challenge and Transformation

Burundi, Church Planting, Poor, Regions Beyond
Burundi has a chequered history. It experienced revival as part of the East African Revival in the middle decades of the twentieth century and then inter-tribal civil war through the 1990s and into the new century. Tension continues to exist to this day. On the UN scales of poverty Burundi features near the bottom. The infrastructure is at best unreliable, at worst non-existent, with supplies of electricity and fuel severely restricted. But the church is active in helping to bring peace and transformation. Donna Bloomfield, of Gateway Church in Swindon, UK, has a deep commitment to Burundi, having served for two years as the principal of a Christian school in the capital, Bujumbura, at the turn of the century and more recently having become engaged in various initiatives to alleviate…
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17May 2017 by Nigel Ring

Swallowed by life – book review

Books, Equipping, Healing, Health, News
I was a member of Church of Christ the King in Brighton for over 30 years. A few years ago one of the members, Liz Woodgate, was diagnosed with terminal cancer of the oesophagus hence the title of this recently published book, Swallowed by Life. It is the story of what happened over the following two years at which time she was declared healed! I am not going to spoil the wonder by telling you the whole story but it is very remarkable and brings great glory to God. It is certainly a sign that will make you wonder! The book can also be something of a workshop for us as it teaches us much from the many steps that brought Liz to that wonderful result: Her transparency in her honesty…
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