Learning from the past - 80 years of All Nations Church
What can we learn from our history? We recently celebrated two anniversaries at the same time. It is 80 years since the church now called All Nations was founded and 20 years since Ps Steve became the senior pastor.
In scripture we often find people remembering the past. The defining moment in the history of God’s Old Testament people was the Exodus - He miraculously led them across the Red Sea. So godly leaders and prophets often reminded people of their history and identity, calling them to live as a holy nation. And in the New Testament too we find frequent reminders of what Jesus has done and how the Spirit has formed the New Testament people of God.
What God did in the past inspires the future.
What of our history as a church based on Wolverhampton? There is a reminder at allnations.org.uk/ourstory and there are some key features of the past that inspire us still.
In 1941, the church was founded by two women, putting Jesus first and living humble and sacrificial lives as they refused to join “the war effort” but advance the Kingdom of God. We value the mutuality of men and women serving God and His people together to advance the Kingdom. As a church we want to overcome the hidden restraints still at work in the wider church and society limiting the role of women. Jesus valued men and women equally in his earthly ministry and so do we!
In 1941, their work began by showing extravagant love among some of the poorest in the town. We have been rediscovering in recent years that God’s heart is to give preference to the poor and marginalised. “The river of God flows downhill and fills the low places first,” as a wise missionary friend once said to me!
In the 1950s, the leaders showed audacious faith and insurmountable hope, buying the premises without a capital sum of money! They were an example of prayer and fasting and other spiritual disciplines as pathways to releasing God’s power around them
They and the whole church also showed authentic community, honour and generosity as they welcomed the Windrush generation. This was at a time when many churches, sadly, displayed an ungodly prejudice. In the 1970s people with Indian and other Asian identities came to Wolverhampton and now we welcome people from all over the world. Our identity and vision is for “All Nations” to experience God’s presence in genuine but diverse community.
We honour the past and are shaped by the values we see displayed by our faithful forerunners in the past. Now we are in a time of transition as a church , discovering how we live out those same values in our context today, following the Spirit’s leading into new ways of being church, new ways of reaching out and advancing the Kingdom in our day.
- Chris Horton
In scripture we often find people remembering the past. The defining moment in the history of God’s Old Testament people was the Exodus - He miraculously led them across the Red Sea. So godly leaders and prophets often reminded people of their history and identity, calling them to live as a holy nation. And in the New Testament too we find frequent reminders of what Jesus has done and how the Spirit has formed the New Testament people of God.
What God did in the past inspires the future.
What of our history as a church based on Wolverhampton? There is a reminder at allnations.org.uk/ourstory and there are some key features of the past that inspire us still.
In 1941, the church was founded by two women, putting Jesus first and living humble and sacrificial lives as they refused to join “the war effort” but advance the Kingdom of God. We value the mutuality of men and women serving God and His people together to advance the Kingdom. As a church we want to overcome the hidden restraints still at work in the wider church and society limiting the role of women. Jesus valued men and women equally in his earthly ministry and so do we!
In 1941, their work began by showing extravagant love among some of the poorest in the town. We have been rediscovering in recent years that God’s heart is to give preference to the poor and marginalised. “The river of God flows downhill and fills the low places first,” as a wise missionary friend once said to me!
In the 1950s, the leaders showed audacious faith and insurmountable hope, buying the premises without a capital sum of money! They were an example of prayer and fasting and other spiritual disciplines as pathways to releasing God’s power around them
They and the whole church also showed authentic community, honour and generosity as they welcomed the Windrush generation. This was at a time when many churches, sadly, displayed an ungodly prejudice. In the 1970s people with Indian and other Asian identities came to Wolverhampton and now we welcome people from all over the world. Our identity and vision is for “All Nations” to experience God’s presence in genuine but diverse community.
We honour the past and are shaped by the values we see displayed by our faithful forerunners in the past. Now we are in a time of transition as a church , discovering how we live out those same values in our context today, following the Spirit’s leading into new ways of being church, new ways of reaching out and advancing the Kingdom in our day.
- Chris Horton
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