In January 2004 a number of church leaders from Bolton attended a Conference at St. Thomas, Crookes in Sheffield (a church of over 3000). It is an Anglican/Baptist LEP with links to other churches including a large house church called theKing’s Centre. The church is organised along the lines of ‘Cell’, ‘Cluster’ and ‘Celebration’ and is exploring new ways of being a city wide church.

Cells are small groups of around 8 and up to 16 members who meet weekly for Welcome, Worship, Word and Witness.

Clusters are gatherings of 3 to 6 Cells with a similar ethos which meet regularly. They provide an environment in which the sharing in worship, prayer, word, testimony, singing and ministry to one another can take place (eg. 1 Cor. 14:26) and meet 3 weeks out of 4. The fourth week has a larger Celebration gathering as clusters join together.

Celebrations are professionally led acts of worship, teaching and ministry. Sheffield currently has around eight different Celebrations to cope with the numbers.

Those who went on the conference were encouraged by what was happening in Sheffield and began to explore the possibilities of using some of the insights gained. A vision for a network of churches across Bolton releasing mission minded cell groups across the town came into being.

This would be an ongoing mission to the whole of Bolton, supporting and uniting groups of Christians within cells. Each Cell would have a common vision to share the good news of Jesus with a particular geographical area or social group. E.g. a housing estate, college students, young professionals, a large factory or company, the homeless, elderly care residents, club culture, etc.

The network ministers would oversee this ministry as a whole and operate as a Leadership Team, utilising the gifts and expertise of those within the team and having responsibility for different areas of the network’s life. Those leading the cells and clusters(of cells) would be accountable to the leadership team. The leadership team would be responsible for the teaching and pastoring of the leaders of cells and clusters. Celebrations would be developed as appropriate.

The emphasis will be on releasing those who feel called by God to particular areas of mission and types of ministry. In our current setup individuals in existing churches often feel called but unable to pursue a vision because of insufficient people in their congregation sharing that vision. This often leaves people feeling disempowered and their many gifts unused within God’s Kingdom. This new model of Church would enable individuals who share a common vision to unite within a cell from across the whole of Bolton, facilitating mission that is driven by people’s vision and passion. These would, by the nature of their calling, be dynamic, focussed cells with a common mission. Each would be a cell church in its own right, accountable to the leadership structures of the network but not dictated to in their day to day operation. The members would own their vision. The direction of their ministry as a cell would be open to the Spirit and flexible.

Such a strategy is risky and cells may come and go. As a network we recognise that a healthy growing Church must be willing and able to allow cells to die, either if the vision has died or if people feel called away to other ministries. However, the accountability structures and the agreed core values and basis of faith of the network church would provide support, guidelines and a firm foundation.

A simple guide to help balance and focus every activity of the network church would be the strap line “Up – In – Out”

Accountability would entail both the reporting back of what was happening on the ground and personal accountability based on the Wesley ‘Holy Huddle’. This entails waiting on God and working through a series of questions around personal holiness.

The old adage “if I wanted to go there, I wouldn’t start from here” may at first sight seem to hold true considering the parochial and inward looking nature of most of our existing churches. The structures that exist may not be immediately conducive to such a mode of working. However, those who have caught the vision believe that if it is of God it will happen, and if the old wineskins cannot cope, the Lord will supply new ones.

The details are yet to be worked out. The structure may look good in theory but is likely to be “messy” in practice. It will look more like a nursery than a cemetery, fluid rather than rigid.

It is not intended to be an exclusive network as links will be maintained with other groupings of churches and other structures. Church leaders may be in sympathy with the vision but not their existing congregations and some kind of associate link may be possible. Some congregation members of churches which are not a part of the network may share the vision of one of the cells and be a part of it whilst maintaining links with their existing church. Anyone who shares the core values will be welcome to be involved. The network will be for all who have a heart for Bolton and will cross existing boundaries of deaneries, circuits, fraternals, councils of churches etc.

We believe that this network will enable us to be more effective in sharing the Gospel across our town and that we will become more like the church God intended us to be.