'Animators' appointed to promote evangelism and church growth throughout the Anglican Communion

February 12, 2010 [ACNS] Following a resolution passed at the 14th meeting of the Anglican Consultative Council, a Core Group of Animators has been appointed to promote the "Evangelism and Church Growth Initiative" under the auspices of the mission department of the Anglican Communion. Its first meeting was held Jan. 11-15 at St. Columba's in Woking, England.

The main purpose of the Evangelism and Church Growth Initiative is to promote evangelism and church growth work throughout the Anglican Communion, according to a Feb. 12 announcement from the Anglican Communion Office. As well, as facilitating the sharing of news, stories, experiences and strategies of various evangelism and church growth initiatives. ECGI objectives are:

• Facilitate prayer and mutual encouragement;
• Develop strategies to reach unreached peoples;
• Recommend resources & sharing good practice;
• Encourage training in evangelism and church growth for the whole people of God;
• Sharing stories, news and strategies;
• Identify key issues for specific consultation;
• Build links with other evangelism and church growth networks within and beyond the Anglican Communion;
• Encourage practical engagements in evangelism and church growth as signs of hope; and
• Promote centrality of evangelism and church growth within God's holistic mission to be on people's agenda throughout the provinces and instruments of communion.

Meanwhile, the role of the core group will be to enhance and facilitate collaborative work, mutual support and prayer, and to stir up the passion for action in evangelism and church growth work in the Anglican Communion.

"The Evangelism and Church Growth Initiative is therefore a forum for sharing ideas, experiences, skills, and mutual support of those involved in evangelism and church growth in parishes, dioceses and provinces of the Anglican Communion, in order to bring people to follow Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior and become life long disciples within the community of God's people," according to the ACO announcement. "The Evangelism and Church Growth Initiative is committed to holistic mission, as expressed in the Anglican Communion's five marks of mission."

The full report of this initial meeting and progress reports will appear on the mission section of the Anglican Communion website.

Core group members attending the January meeting are:

• Bishop Ken Okeke, Church of Nigeria Mission Society
• The Rev. Trevor Pearce, Southern Africa
• Bishop Patrick Yu (convener), Canada
• The Rev. Canon Mark Oxbrow, Faith2 Share, United Kingdom
• Bishop Bill Godfrey, Peru
• The Rev. Canon Rosemary Mbogo, Kenya
• Linda Jones, United Kingdom
• The Rev. John Kafwanka, mission director, Anglican Communion Office
• The Rev. Canon Kenneth Kearon, secretary general, Anglican Communion Office
• The Rev. Dr. Julian Linnell, Anglican Frontier Mission, United States
• Stuart Buchanan, mission department, Anglican Communion Office

Other core group members not present at the meeting are:

• The Rev. Anthonio Kibwela, DR Congo
• The Rev. Irfan Jamil, Pakistan
• Bishop Moon Hing Ng (deputy convener), Malaysia
• Bishop Richard Naramana, Solomon Islands