This team takes an overview of the network, seeking God for strategic direction. It takes responsibility for shaping and organising the annual Fresh Streams Conference, developing the Fresh Streams ‘Rhythm of the Year’, including regular Prayer and Fasting Days, and building relationships with the core resource team and other networks that share our vision and values. This team is supported by those with specific administration gifts and skills.
We aim to keep the team flexible and effective – we expect there would be a flow in and out of the leadership team so that strategic reflection can take place, the vision and values of Fresh Streams are maintained and insights from members of the core resource team are heard and valued.
The leadership team currently is:
- Philip Deller — Senior Minister, Chipping Campden Baptist Church
- Andy Glover — Team Leader, Hoole Baptist Church, Chester
- Stephen Rand — Fresh Streams Co-ordinator and Advocacy Director, Open Doors
- Ruth Rice — Pastoral Leader, New Life Baptist Church, West Bridgford
- Ali Summers — Minister with responsibility for discipleship and spiritual growth, Rising Brook Baptist Church
- Martin Young — Senior Minister and Team Leader, Rising Brook Baptist Church Stafford
Andy Glover
Andy Glover is Team Leader at Hoole Baptist Church, Chester also helps lead Link Up; a relational network of 20+ Churches and Church leaders in and around Chester, West Cheshire and into North Wales. Drawn from across denominations and traditions, Link Up seeks to support and extend partnership working for personal and community transformation. Andy places great emphasis on equipping and resourcing other churches, of any denomination and none.
How does Andy understand apostolic ministry? “It’s clear to me that being an apostle was of key importance to Paul’s self-understanding in the New Testament. Broadly speaking, it describes a trans-local ministry, planting, encouraging, and resourcing other leaders and churches: thinking Kingdom as well as local church. I consider it to be of crucial importance, given our local church independence, that this ministry is offered in a spirit of humility and generosity without even a hint of an authoritarian approach.”
Philip Deller
Philip Deller is Team Leader at Chipping Campden Baptist Church, in the Cotswolds. CCBC has grown significantly over the past 15 years and has planted two congregations in the nearby towns of Shipston on Stour and Bidford on Avon. Philip is the founder of ‘Cornerstone Churches’ which are a cluster of local Baptist Churches in the area which share a common vision, resources and covenant on a yearly basis to walk together for the sake of the kingdom of Christ.
Philip explains “Apostolic ministry must be about God’s mission. That’s what it is through the pages of the New Testament, and that’s what it is today. Apostolic ministry inspires challenges, encourages and focuses on the Kingdom. I believe that God’s command to the first man and woman, “Be fruitful and multiply”, is a creation principle for all Kingdom work. The accent is not on the individual carrying out the ministry, but on the ministry itself, hence our preference for using the term ‘apostolic ministry’ rather than the noun ‘apostle’.”
Rob White stepped down from leadership at the end of October 2011. He remains passionate about the core values of Fresh Streams, as he explained at the 2011 Conference:
1. The power of the Spirit. We are a Word and Spirit network, but we as leaders are prone to major on the Word and minor on the Spirit. It’s less risky (except the possibility of boring people with poor preaching, or saying something they don’t like!). We can download aids for preaching, even whole sermons, but we can’t download aids for the Holy Spirit’s power – it’s God who downloads the Spirit to us, and then we take the risks as we step out in ministry. Ever since creation the Spirit has put God’s resources in human hearts & hands. The Spirit’s power is not a fad, phase or fringe benefit, but foundational and fundamental to mission, lifestyle and worship. We need the Spirit to infect, infuse, inspire and invigorate our churches, so we must preach the baptism and filling of the Holy Spirit and practise his presence without fear or favour, let or hindrance. Without the Holy Spirit’s power we’ll get reduced from the Acts of the Apostles to merely the ‘Facts of the Apostles’.
2. Unity. “How good and pleasant it is when God’s people live together in unity… for there the Lord bestows his blessing, even life for evermore”. Unity is not an imposition, interruption or impracticality, but an imperative – “Maintain the unity of the Spirit…” (Ephesians 4). We can’t obtain it; Jesus did that. But we’re commanded to maintain it. There are lots of right-sounding words spoken about unity, but not nearly as much action. It’s no good prattling, preaching or even praying about unity – we have to practise it. It means getting alongside others – bigger churches sharing their resources with less well-resourced churches, and learning from those smaller churches which often have greater faith and tenacity, and leaders helping one another. It’s about intentional, purposeful gathering, bringing encouragement, help, and sharing resources.
