Zondervan Blog

Tour Blog: An Agenda for Change | Beside the Seaside

An Agenda for Change moves on to the coast!

So here we are in Eastbourne on the next leg of the An Agenda For Change tour - at Kings Church, a large church here on this south coast seaside town. We arrived after a two-hour drive along some wonderful coastline in a fine, warm spring day. One of the best things about going on tour is the chance to take time to talk and get to know the people that you are with; the camaraderie is probably the best compensation for being away from home so many nights.

The church was much bigger than the previous night – one of the larger churches in the area – with a sports court, showers, conference rooms, café, and lots of staff members. We were all made to feel just as welcome as last night, and I was again impressed by the willingness of people to help out and be flexible to whatever is needed. You really get to see the cooperation that is at the heart of the church. 

Many people too the opportunity to talk with Joel and get their book signed, and there was some great discussion during the question and answer session. Joel spoke again using the cathedral metaphor – that we are about building something lasting in society, and like a cathedral we may only get to see the foundations built but the structure could last a thousand years if it is done properly. People responded and, as you can see, the cathedral is now starting to take shape.

A bit of a break now until Leicester on the 6th May – time for some normal work!

Ian Matthews
Zondervan

Tour Blog: An Agenda for Change | A Canterbury Tale

An Agenda for Change for kicks off!

So here I am after the first date on the Joel Edwards tour, An Agenda for Change. This tour, where Zondervan and the Evangelical Alliance (www.eauk.org) are working together taking the conversation about the book across the United Kingdom, looks set to become a memorable one if the first night is anything to go by.

We all arrived at the venue, St Andrews United Reformed Church, full of excitement and nerves. As the first night, we had no idea if the presentation would work, would people turn up, would they be interested in the book and the whole discussion about the future of evangelicalism. The evening started with a leader’s event and some food. Church leaders from Anglican, Reformed, Charismatic and Baptist denominations all gathered to share food and listen to Joel share some thoughts and discuss questions about what the future holds and how we can make an impact in the 21st Century.

Following an interview with New Frontiers magazine (see www.newfrontiers.xtn.org), ready for their leader’s conference in June where Joel is also speaking, we were ready for the main event Joel looked at public perceptions of Evangelicals (with some great vox pops which we will be posting soon for you to see); the current church situations, with a great analysis of the division between left and right – and how each needs the other; and the absolute centrality of Jesus to our mission – the EA’s mission is to ‘present Christ credibly’. During the interval people were able to browse the bookstall, and fill out a commitment form to be part of the agenda to change society with the Kingdom of God. In return for the form everyone got a small colored brick which they were able to write on their own personal mission or commitment. These were built into the start of a ‘Cathedral’ that we will be building throughout the tour – here is the first wall!

The evening ended with a fantastic question and answer session, with Joel opening up the discussion to the whole room, and many great stories shared. After this Joel spent time talking with people and signing books – the feedback was great and the commitment of ordinary followers of Jesus to see change in their communities is both exciting and humbling.

Off to Eastbourne tonight!

Ian Matthews
Zondervan

An Agenda For Change Tour

Joel Edwards, General Director of the Evangelical Alliance, is touring the United Kingdom speaking to the Christian community, initiating a conversation addressing evangelicals in contemporary culture and starting a conversation around the role for evangelicals in society today and into the future.

A partnership between Zondervan and the Evangelical Alliance, the tour will run during the spring and summer 2008. Joel will argue that Biblical witness is not called to tip-toe through the 21st century, but to transform society by presenting Christ credibly to the culture. He sets out a new vision for evangelicalism reclaiming the idea that evangelicals are a ‘good news’ people called to a long term vision for spiritual and social change.

Based on the exciting new book by Joel, also called An Agenda for Change, the tour aims to start a conversation that will continue to transform the Church in the UK and beyond. For further details on the tour, visit www.anagendaforchange.com.