‘We will proclaim Christ faithfully to the nations!’ was the rallying cry of the 1,950 or so delegates at GAFCON 2018 (Jerusalem, 17-22 June), but it was more than a slogan; it was a declaration of intent.
GAFCON is not a conference where people come to moan about the state of the church – instead it is a place where those facing persecution and pressure to conform are reminded of the gospel and inspired to return to their ministry with new zeal. It does that because it lives up to what it says on the tin: it is a Global, Anglican, Futures CONference.
GAFCON is Global
There were delegates from over 50 countries; from France to Fiji, Mexico to Myanmar. Some national delegations were made up of hundreds, other countries were represented by lone voices. But to hear the Lord’s Prayer spoken in over 100 languages simultaneously was to be reminded of God calling people from every nation, tribe, people and language to praise his holy name.
‘Power is a powerful drug and the detox process is hard’
One of the most insightful speeches at the Church of England's General Synod in July came from The Revd Lindsay …