The years I spent working for FIEC were good years. The staff were always very supportive. It's strength was always the gospel centred people. However, being on the inside track was always, very frustrating. I always felt strongly that FIEC needed to change and was much less than it could be. Strangely, virtually everyone I spoke to, including FIEC staff agreed. But FIEC, for all it's good was unwieldy. No-one seemed to know how to bring about change. I think one reason for this was the way FIEC was structured. It was not structured to be led.
However, change did come! Three years ago FIEC for a New Day launched. John Stevens was installed as FIEC Director, Trevor Archer and Richard Underwood followed his appointment as Director of Training and Director of PCT. Later, Andy Patterson was appointed as the Director of outreach which covered church planting.
I always had my reservations - not about the men - they are all great men, but the structure. I felt the main post should be Director of Outreach with training and PCT sitting underneath.
The next three years was for me, 'be positive, encouraging and supportive, wait and see'. They were talking the talk but could they walk the walk?
Three years later, I am more than delighted to say that the FIEC Leaders Conference was everything and more than I expected. Any previous reservations I had are gone. FIEC has succeeded in establishing a DNA with a foundation that is Reformed Evangelical (thankfully no change there) and spear-headed by the gospel.
FIEC has always been Evangelical, it has always been 'gospel centred' (I think), but the subtle difference now is that it is more contemporary Evangelical (demonstrated by its statements on Ecumenism and complimentarity and more recently the timely Statment on homosexuality and gay marriage! but as well as being gospel centred! I would say it is now firmly 'Gospel Up-Front and Centre!' It is unapologetically gospel motivated and gospel led. It seems less defensive and more offensive.
Right now, for the first time, I really feel FIEC is home - and I love it!
Great conference!
