FIEC: at the Hub

The annual Hub Conference 2015 took place in January leaving participants feeling that the FIEC is in encouraging shape.

Two things were noticeable. One: how hard it is to guess the age of FIEC. And two: this is very encouraging.

There were 120 or so delegates, many of them in their twenties and thirties, exploring routes into paid gospel ministry and what it means to lead God’s people. In the context of many denominations anticipating a crisis when an ageing clergy retire, this is essential and a sign of God’s kindness. Of course this needs to set that against the massive need of our nation, where millions perish without the hope of the gospel and hundreds of communities lack a faithful outward-looking church. But nonetheless, the youthfulness of the conference feels like the start of something.