Embracing the Poor Conference Report

By Nigel Ring

Brighton, UK

‘If we are going to see a great end-time revival, if we are going to see the masses swept into the church, we must remember the poor. We must.’ When Simon Pettit trumpeted this message at our leadership conference in 1998 we knew it had affected us as a family of churches for ever. Since then we have been on a journey. Like climbing Mt Everest, we have started by first climbing some of the foothills, establishing camps to hold ground before pressing on to the next peak.

What is our Mt Everest? Perhaps the three billion people who live on less than $2 per day, the vast majority of whom have never heard the gospel. And the foothills? The first was Act 2000, when we injected funds in the millennial year into twenty ministries to create models of ministry with the poor. The second was a five-year initiative, Act Together, where we sought to help churches internationally to engage with the poor in their communities. Third came the Task Team for Strategy with the Poor, established in 2004 by Simon Pettit then led by Steve Oliver since 2006.

Through the equipping conference ‘Embracing the Poor’ we have now established a solid base camp for further assaults on the mountain.

Theory and practice

For five days at the end of October apostolic teams and delegates from around the world had been invited to gather in Clarens, South Africa, for a ‘hands on’ conference. Nearly 80 attended, including local leaders and activists from churches in South Africa and Lesotho, to be informed and equipped to take the gospel to the poor in word and action.

Each day began with worship, praise and prophetic release together with prayer for specific nations and situations. We then received input from members of the Task Team; God’s heart for the Poor, and Gospel Impact (Steve Oliver, South Africa); the Theology of the Poor and the Church’s Response (David Adams, South Africa); The Apostolic Gift and Commission (Martyn Dunsford, UK); Pursuing Excellence in carrying out ministry (Nigel Ring, UK).

During some afternoons we had the privilege of visiting many of the local church’s ministries; a school for over 100 children, visits to and support of sufferers with HIV in their township shacks, a ministry to orphaned and vulnerable children, and a sewing project with the elderly. In each case we were able to hear stories and pray with people.

God spoke to us about the importance of seeing kingdom advance as requiring two ‘wings’ which must beat in synchrony – evangelism and social action. In fulfilment we went as teams to work alongside people in Lesotho and South Africa, establishing and sowing plots according to the principles of Farming God’s Way. Before starting to dig, the gospel was preached and, in one previously unvisited community, nearly 200 gathered. Pete West (Lesotho) powerfully preached the gospel through story-telling to this oral culture and saw 50 women and 30 men respond to the appeal! Over 20 responded with other teams. Digging and planting then commenced. We expect to see both a new church and abundant harvests of maize as fruit of these visits!

I have learned a lot about how to reach other people, how to communicate, how to preach the gospel in order to help them. Mamorena (People of Hope team)

I think the conference has helped me to believe that God can use any one of us to reach the poor. No matter how little we think the thing is that we are doing, it is part of the bigger picture. Outi (Volunteer in Lesotho)

The conference was a real blessing especially learning Farming God’s Way and going out for the practical experience. Seeing the masses coming to the Lord by the tens and dozens was really fantastic. Mac (Businessman in Cape Town)

One of our local leaders said they can hardly cover the rent of the hall let alone embrace the poor. Many of us come from very poor communities, but we are mandated by God to remember and embrace the poor. The Son of Man took two fishes and five loaves and fed some 5000 men. We are to take the little we have and be faithful with it. Our God will surely bless and reward us. Thabo (Church leader in Lesotho)

I realise that these are the kind of the things we should be doing, like Farming God’s Way, something that can help people especially in the rural areas. I believe that this conference has given me an idea that we can help through using this. Johannes (Church planter in Durban)

I was immediately struck by the intimacy of the title of this conference, a rich title that underpins the importance of the church building trusting relationships with the poor. I liked the picture of the church being an eagle with two wings. The challenge thrown to us was maintaining a marriage between the two in ways that ensured impact. Mercy (Development Worker, Kenya)

Before this conference we knew about trying to help the poor
but I have now been given a heart to help them. My whole understanding of a ministry to the poor and my involvement
has changed. Karin (Apostolic in Dagestan)

We had the benefit of learning from one another as we spent time getting to know each other’s stories and experience, and some wonderful times of being in God’s presence together in prayer and worship.
We had a day travelling to Lesotho working alongside communities who were Farming God’s Way. We heard how over 80 people had responded to the gospel in one village that afternoon. It felt like confirmation of God’s ongoing heart for the poor. Tim (Church leader, UK)

Embracing the Poor Conference Report

By Nigel Ring

Brighton, UK

Theory and practice

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