A meeting of church leaders from across Ireland has been challenged to remain biblically faithful but to \u201d\u02dcdare to do new things\u2019 in the face of a \u201d\u02dcnew spiritual darkness\u2019 in the west.<\/p>\n
The General Secretary of the Global Anglican Future Conference, Dr Peter Jensen, who addressed the event at Belfast\u2019s Willowfield Church, told the story of GAFCON\u2019s beginnings in the landmark conference of Bishops, clergy and lay leaders in Jerusalem in 2008, through to the Nairobi meeting in 2013 and the movement\u2019s unifying work today across the Anglican world.<\/p>\n
\u201cOut of the Conference emerged an historic and noble document, the Jerusalem Statement and Declaration. It made clear that we would not reject the world to live like hermits. It made clear that we wished still to win the world. But it also made clear that the way to do that was not to abandon historic, biblical Christianity but to be true to it and flexible in the ways of promoting it.\u201d\u009d Dr Jensen said.<\/p>\n
\u201cChristianity is a missionary religion and those who have embraced the secular culture have done so in the belief that thus they can \u201d\u02dcmake a difference\u2019, Christianise the social order and bring people back to church. On such projects they will spend money and buy influence. Ironically, much of their time and effort is devoted to persuading their fellow believers to become like them.\u201d\u009d<\/p>\n