In Britain, mainstream Christianity is dying out. Since the 1960s there has been a decline in Christian morality and church attendance has gone down. One thousand churches may shut their doors within the next few years.

Jesus Fellowship Senior Pastor, Noel Stanton, spoke against this trend at the Church Growth Conference, Spinney Hill Hall, Northampton. “In the midst of this decline, Jesus continues to build His church.”

He went on to say, “As we continue to hold fast to the head and keep nourishing one another we become knitted together and grow with the growth of God! We need to bring each other into life and the fire of the Spirit. Out of our hearts will flow rivers of living water!” The growth of God has vision and dynamic movement. He continued with an example of spiritual dynamics: “Gangs of young people are threatening and effective because they are together in demonic power but the Body of Christ is a gang of holy ones who are united in spiritual power. Jesus went into places and changed the atmosphere. We need to do the same.

“Try sitting in a pub with people and just pray - see how the dynamics and atmosphere change - the Holy Spirit is on the move! We fight against the powers of this world and are anointed with courage”.

The call to continue as a moving church which is increasingly marginalized and facing growing persecution came strongly to the 700 people at the conference. God is not static. The Holy Spirit is on the move and will carry on doing so. We need to ensure we have vision and movement, with evangelism and plantings. The body of Christ is a group dynamic.

Over the last 30 years we have had ten thousand baptisms, seen the launch of the New Creation Christian Community and the Multiply Network, cast out thousands of demons and seen thousands of healings. “None of us would be a part of it if it wasn’t for the mercy and grace that has been shown to us,” said the Senior Pastor.

“This is a mobile church - moving in the Holy Spirit, doing new things, daring.”

The afternoon seminars and evening celebration reinforced the radical message of a church that will be leaner, more committed and speaking with a more genuine voice in the coming days as it faces greater competition and opposition.