Around 120 pastors, church planters, leaders, and partners from all over Europe, US, Brazil, and Chile, gathered in Barcelona for 4 days of reflection, networking and fellowship.
From 17-20 September, pastors, church planters, leaders, and partners of the Vineyard church family gathered in Barcelona for the European Partnership Conference, The Great Story of the Kingdom.
The conference was sponsored by Vineyard Iberia and hosted and organised by La Viña Barcelona. It brought together 120 participants from Spain, Portugal, France, Switzerland, Sweden, UK, Ukraine, Estonia, Lithuania, Belgium, US, Brazil, and Chile.
Vineyard missions leaders and representatives from Europe, Brazil and the US had the opportunity to meet before the conference.
Then, over the four days we listened to Derek Morphew and Tom Thompson speak engagingly and in marvellous detail on the Kingdom of God, explaining its basis in both Old and New Testaments, and demonstrating its relevance and implications for every aspect of our lives.
[photo_footer]A moment of the conference. / Michael Gowen. [/photo_footer]
Derek is based in South Africa, is one of the leading theologians in the Vineyard movement, and has written many books on this subject. Tom is senior pastor of a thriving Vineyard church near London and is part of Vineyard UK and Ireland's leadership team.
The presence of God was tangible during every session, whether we were worshipping, listening or ministering to each other. After each presentation we broke up into discussion tables to chew over questions based on what we had just heard.
There were tables in Spanish, French and English, mixed up between the various churches represented, which enabled us to get to know people whom we did not normally interact with and to be open to a rich diversity of opinions and views.
Vineyard is a relational movement. So there were plenty of opportunities for us to deepen existing relationships and establish new ones, especially over mealtimes and during the evenings.
[photo_footer] The speakers of the conference. / Michael Gowen. [/photo_footer]
And, along with the fellowship, we enjoyed wonderful food. How could you go to Barcelona without enjoying the delights of Spanish and Catalan cuisine? We got to visit the attractions of the city, especially the beach and the Sagrada Familia cathedral — which completely bowled me over, seeing it for the first time.
The ‘now and not yet’ of the Kingdom of God is a key distinctive and motivator of the Vineyard movement: Jesus’ opening proclamation was, ‘The kingdom of God has drawn near’ (Mark 1:15). Yet, at the same time, we are still waiting for the kingdom to be fully manifest.
This creates an expectation of God moving in power and love among us, but when this does not happen in the way we ask or anticipate, we do not blame or condemn ourselves, others or God.
Having attended this conference, we now have a fuller appreciation of how this understanding of the Kingdom of God works out in practice today. And so we are able to pass it on to our congregations and live it out in our daily lives, individually and corporately, as we move forward in planting and adopting new Vineyard churches all over Europe.
Michael Gowen, European Missions coordinator, Vineyard Churches UK and Ireland.
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[title]Join us to make EF sustainable[/title]
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[text]At Evangelical Focus, we have a sustainability challenge ahead. We invite you to join those across Europe and beyond who are committed with our mission. Together, we will ensure the continuity of Evangelical Focus and our Spanish partner Protestante Digital in 2025.
Learn all about our #TogetherInThisMission initiative here (English).
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