Church planting and fresh expressions resourced by Incarnate Network

"We want to see groups of believers established in the smaller, rural towns of the Clwyd Valley"
The Location (where we are) the Vale of Clwyd in North Wales is an area of exquisite countryside and fascinating local history.  Most of the names are impossible to pronounce  (try saying “Gwyddelwern” or “Dwygyfylchi”) and it runs from Rhyl on the coast down as far as Llangollen.  There is a well in Llanrhaeadr where St Dyfnog first baptised converts in the sixth century.  Also from the sixth century is Llanynys church where there is a yew tree said to be the centre point of the Valley.  I was born in Llanelwy (St Asaph) and lived here before twenty years church planting in Spain.

The Vision (what we would like to do) – the “official” bit!

• we want to see groups of believers established in the smaller, rural towns of the Clwyd Valley; to be culturally sensitive it is going to be important to work in Welsh and in English wherever possible and to establish bilingual fellowships.  So I am learning Welsh and need to be fluent before long
• to collaborate with existing churches that identify with the vision and to strengthen others who are struggling, also to train up future leaders
• to organise celebration meetings in central venues to encourage youth from the outlying town

• I am looking to discover churches where the leaders share the vision and are willing to work with us in new areas.  This has two advantages – firstly, in smaller communities it will give us greater credibility working with existing groups that are already accepted in the local communities.  They know the social leaders, the “movers and shakers”, and can obtain permissions and entrance to local centres.  Thus we are not seen as a sect nor an extreme group coming in for “hit and run” evangelism.  Secondly, these stronger churches can send help until the work becomes incarnational and local leaders are appointed
• also I want to work with the more traditional churches in outlying towns and villages that are struggling; we would love to just keep alive the flame that exists in the hearts of many who have been serving for years in difficult surroundings.  They have been here long before we have.
• there are believers who worship in main towns but who are praying for something to be done in their own community.  With their support we could begin a Bible studies, cell groups or Alpha courses run in neutral venues.  The work would thus be truly incarnate and not done merely by absentee missionaries.

The Resources (what we have to work with)

• There are three larger towns along the Valley (St Asaph, Denbigh, Ruthin) where we have mission points already established.  These towns are like three buttons on a jacket, evenly spaced down the valley.  The Baptist church in Rhyl had a large home group in St Asaph that became the new church plant there.  The group in Denbigh is based on outreach to children from the local estate.  The church in Ruthin is like a rescue centre for wounded Christians.  These form the foci from which we can reach their surrounding villages.  These main churches can send worship groups for meetings, teams for evangelistic events, and “rent-a-crowd” for main meetings.
• The Steering Group is made up of men and women from a broad range of church affiliations – Welsh Methodists, Salvation army, Urban Saints, English and Welsh Baptists, and many of them are bilingual.  This offers diversity and a helpful plurality in planning.

Some of the Difficulties we face

• some leaders are suspicious of new initiatives.  They are wary of sheep stealing and see any new venture as a threat to their stability or maybe to their felt “control” of an area.  It would be good if we could win the confidence of these leaders wherever possible
• some of the traditional Welsh leaders have lost heart as chapel after chapel is sold and turned into private dwellings.  The “undertaker” mentality is hard to work with.  A lot of old Welsh chapels see themselves as the last bastion of Welsh language and culture and so are defensive and resistant to growth or change

Some of the encouragements we have had

• I recently received a phone call from a retired evangelical vicar who has been living in one of our three central towns for a number of years and is longing for a new initiative in the Valley.  He is going to open his home for a prayer meeting from September and will invite folk from outside the area to join.  He also has immediate contact with the Anglican communities in the area
• I have preached in Welsh a number of times already and have been encouraged by liberty in preaching and a healthy reception from the congregation that I feel goes deeper than mild curiosity.  Most are amused by my Spanish accent that, when speaking Welsh, sounds like someone from Patagonia, Argentina!

A parting shot

• A lot of my job at the moment is exploratory, visiting towns and villages to get the “feel” of the area, to discover their particular needs, to seek the “pearls” i.e. people with open hearts with whom we can work.  In many ways life in a small town in rural Andalucia is not dissimilar to life in a small Welsh village.
• We need wisdom to see WHERE to start and WHEN and to WHAT extent we commit ourselves to one location.  Where are there signs of God working and opening doors?  Selwyn Hughes (CWR) says that when the fire is burning in the church then folk will gather to see it.  We need the fire once more in this land of revival!

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