Capital Vision 2020

by | Jun 10, 2013 | Blog, London, Prayer & Revival

The Anglican Church in London has developed Capital Vision 2020 as an umbrella vision for the Church of England across our capital city. There are three themes they want to major on over the next seven years:

  • Confident in speaking and living the gospel of Jesus Christ
  • Compassionate in serving communities with the love of God the Father
  • Creative in reaching new people and places with the power of the Spirit

CONFIDENT IN SPEAKING AND LIVING THE GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST

  1. London is changing. But the gospel is as relevant as ever. In our noisy city we want the good news about Jesus Christ to be heard. In our everyday conversations. On Twitter. On Facebook. On TV, radio, in newspapers & magazines. In our universities, in Parliament, in pubs.
  2. We want to change the public conversation about God. But also about poverty. About justice in the worlds of business and finance.
  3. We want not only to speak the gospel, but to live it. To support God’s people as they live and work in London, asking where God is already at work and joining in.

COMPASSIONATE IN SERVING OUR COMMUNITIES WITH THE LOVE OF GOD THE FATHER

  1. London is lonely and compassion is often missing. We want to have a fresh and bold vision for local church in the heart of fragmented communities. New communities and communities of great history.
  2. We want to stand as a distinctive voice speaking for justice and mercy across London, but also as friends and neighbours within our communities, practically making a difference.
  3. We recognize the amazing resource God has given us in our buildings and are challenged both to get out of our buildings and move into our communities but also to open those buildings generously to our community as a place of rest and peace and community.
  4. Community is not just geography, we all live in many communities – home, work, school, pub, gym, football, online, offline – and we want to serve these communities too. We want to focus on the frontline of life – where people are each day.

CREATIVE IN REACHING NEW PEOPLE AND PLACES WITH THE GOOD NEWS IN THE POWER OF THE SPIRIT

  1. We’re called to make disciples of all nations. But much of London has never encountered the Good News.
  2. Audacious vision, swiftly executed with every ounce of love strength and capacity we have. We want to get out and take risks. We know we need to look beyond our walls, go, serve and bring others to Christ.
  3. We will be more creative in starting or renewing churches in places and for people where there are huge possibilities of sharing the Good News.

Whatever stripe of the church you belong to, these are things we can all pray for, for all of our churches across London.

Capital Vision 2020 have also given us a prayer request, and a prayer suggestion:

Please pray that we would be Christ-centred and outward looking, and that by 2020 we would be:

more confident in speaking and living the gospel of Jesus Christ,
more compassionate in serving communities with the love of God the Father, and
more creative in reaching new people and places in the power of the Spirit.

Generous God,
You have called us to be salt and light in this great city;
Guide us by your Holy Spirit to discern your will for your Church
as we seek to follow your Son Jesus Christ in loving and serving our neighbours.
Give us the wisdom and strength to fulfil the vision you put before us
and help us to play our part in transforming our earthly city into a sign of the Heavenly Jerusalem
where you live and reign, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, One God now and for ever.
Amen

Mark Williamson also blogs regularly at One Rock International, a training organisation resourcing missionary leaders across the globe. He’s passionate about good films, good food, getting into deep conversations, and going for long walks with his wife Joanna.

X