Elim Leaders Summit 2016

“Every town is hard to reach when the Church stays in” – Alan Scott

This year’s Elim Leaders Summit (also known as Elim Conference) has been particularly special. Not only has 2015/16 been a year of transition for us as a Church, but it has been for the entire Elim movement as well, as John Glass retired from his position as General Superintendent of Elim, after 16 years of very influential and successful ministry, to hand the baton on to Chris Cartwright, pastor at City Temple in Cardiff from 1997 until he took on the position of Regional Superintendent for Wales and the Southern Region in 2010 until now.

It’s been a really moving time for all of us, rich of tears as well as great expectation for the future not only of the movement but of God’s kingdom here in the UK.

On the last day of conference, our new General Superintendent Chris Cartwright was given the opportunity to share his vision concerning the future of Elim in general and the next 12 months in particular. Personally speaking, I have been very pleased with the glimpse he’s given us of his vision and plans for the future. Without going in much detail, Elim will undergo a process of complete re-thinking and re-shaping not only produced by Chris’ heart and vision but by the many leaders of the movement at a grass-root level. Over the next 12 months, pastors throughout the UK will be given the opportunity to share their views on where Elim is at as well as voice both their concerns and suggestions to re-design Elim into a shape that better meets and accommodates this generation’s needs, yet without affecting its core-values and truths.

It is clear that Chris’ desire is to regenerate the necessary elasticity of a one hundred years old movement, that it might better facilitate the birth and release of various ministries and movements. Right through his speech I felt, together with other ministers, a very strong prophetic sense. I am sure we are about to see great things.

Another highlight of this year’s Leaders Summit has certainly been the ministry of Alan Scott (see picture above), the founding and lead pastor of the Causeway Coast Vineyard Church, particularly famous for its ministry “Healing on the Streets”. Alan really impacted all of us with his prophetic ministry as well as his gifting in the area of divine healing.

But what encouraged me and many other pastors in the North of England the most, was the way in which he tapped into what we have all been sensing God is about to do in this corner of the Kingdom. Not only did he speak about a new move of God that is beginning to be released in Manchester, of which pastor Paul Hallam is at the fore-front, but about a similar movement that is beginning to be birthed throughout the North, a movement that will see Churches coming out of their buildings to resurrect their respective areas in the name of Jesus and the power of his Spirit. You can imagine my excitement as this is exactly what I and other key leaders in the area, are currently working on. After the service, I managed to have a word with Alan, who was ecstatic to hear about the project. Paul Hallam, his youth pastor Jesse, Alan and myself ended up making a circle and crying out to God for the North.

I come away from this year’s summit with a renewed sense of expectation and excitement for what our God is about to do. Let us pray for his resurrection power to be released not just on our Churches but in our respective areas through our Churches. Let us pray for a “Church without walls” that will effectively change the tide of our days to the glory of God.

You can find links to Alan Scott’s entire message at this link: http://www.elim.org.uk/Articles/446797/Elim_Leaders_Summit.aspx#mp3

You can also view the video of John and Marilyn Glass’ send-off on our Facebook page