Missions: The Full Report
- Elizabeth O. David
- Apr 6
- 6 min read
Updated: Oct 18
Missions is trending again and people are on the move...
People are being stirred to get up and go, or uproot and move to new places in the UK and around the world to launch new, or support existing Gospel initiatives or projects.
Initiatives include planting new or supporting existing churches, community projects/events, prayer walking/surveying, evangelistic ventures, short missions, and even innovative Online campaigns. All aiming to serve, support, inform, or educate communities, or to make, mature and mobilise disciples, or just to pray for/with others.
Mission to the North - The Tools
Technology is a critical tool in this wave of missions.
It enables speed and precision, and like ‘the men of Issachar’ who understood the times, it serves us well to harness and do all we can to optimize and maximize it.
Christians should be renown for creativity, innovation, and design in every sphere of endeavour. And, recruiting, retraining, upskilling, and upscaling operations are essential requirements of excellence to effectively serve contemporary society, and to engage and inspire the next generation.
The times and the task are critical.
Organisations like the Revitalise Trust, London are already leading in this wave of missions and church planting. The impact of their work in the first six years of launching is commendable. And, the use of digital technology to propagate the message and the mission have contributed to the depth and breadth of success.
Also, a well-known author/ministry completed an extensive Book Tour and Mission to Europe spanning Macedonia, Serbia, and Germany at the end of March, and on an individual level, an 84-year old lay-leader recently returned from a Mission to Kenya, where his professional experience in strategic growth analytics and governance helped an established ministry in Kenya navigate a period of succession and time of growth.
In October while planning for the mission an article titled Mission to the North was published.
Here is the Full Report of the Mission itself.
The Mission was inspired by a visit to Inverness in October of 2023, and after a lot of reflection and preparation, launched in November of 2024.
Helensburgh, Paisley, Perth, Glasgow, Bellshill, Hamilton, Kelso, Aberdeen, Ellon, Collieston, Newburgh, Peterhead, Inverurie, and finally Dyce.
The natural landscape of Scotland is amazing. And, very different in the north, south, east, and western parts. Though the people are all warm and open, a bit different from the south in this regard. London is a total enigma to them!
Mission to the North - The Scout
Over three months, I visited churches, listened to people's stories, stayed in interesting places, met amazing people, and discussed the issue of seeing the region re-evangelised and revived again. Also with Alpha Scotland via Zoom.
The purpose of the Mission was to look and review.
So I arrived at Glasgow on a cold winter evening, then took a train to Helensburgh, a pretty coastal village facing the Firth of Clyde, a sea inlet and estuary on the west coast of Scotland, where the River Clyde flows into the Atlantic Ocean.
My first visit in Scotland was to a church called Hope Community Church where I was warmly welcomed. A very friendly church community that serves the Naval Base. I met some naval families and a couple (both doctors) former medical missionaries with YWAM before moving back to Helensburgh. While there I heard about Bethesda Christian Fellowship and visited the next Sunday.
It was another great church in Scotland. An Evangelical church right in the centre of the village square. It serves the community with its first-class Café. The worship, preaching and prayers were very lively and inspirational. And, I spoke at length with people who had relocated from other parts of the country to be there. Again, the stories were very similar.
After staying in Helensburgh and enjoying the seafront views for some time, I travelled to Paisley, Glasgow and visited Power Church. The great international prophetic hub of Scotland.
I was in Perth for Christmas and attended Perth Baptist Church on Christmas Day. It was memorable.
A car became available, which was a great help for the next stage.
After Christmas, I was at Bellshill and attended the GPA STYR 2025 Conference in Glasgow.
I also discovered an online Christian radio station called HeartSong Live Drawing on my experience in media, we were able to have some meaningful conversations about outreach in Scotland.
I later celebrated my birthday at Bellshill, Strathclyde. (Quite significant). Then did the long journey from Glasgow to Aberdeen - Thankfully the motorways are not as congested as the South.
One of the most interesting places in Aberdeenshire is a tiny coastal village called Collieston in Ellon, situated on a hill facing the North Sea. The scenery was amazing and I was able to read, write, walk and enjoy watching the sea.
Mission to the North - The Final Impetus
On observation, apart from Ellon Baptist Church, there was almost no gospel witness in the whole area. The next town, Newburgh, has a large population of skilled workers due to the oil industry, but again, no vibrant church. Astonished, I wrote to a church planting organisation to find out if there was a work in the region and heard back:
There is much work going on in Scotland and we have a number of people that we work with regularly as part of our National Church Planting Network group. I think the best person for you to be in touch with to start with would be... (he) has a great overview of all that is happening in Scotland and works ecumenically with other Scottish church leaders…
Just in time, as I was planning to be in nearby Edinburgh the next day. On arrival, I found the magnificent building and was warmly welcomed.
After introductions were done, we discussed the various local missions and outreaches. My thoughts were, if necessary, I could maybe move to Edinburgh and help with the apparent need. So, I promptly wrote to make enquiries and again heard back:
... The situation and context in Scotland is very different to England - both in society and in the church. We have much to learn from what God is doing in other parts of the world, including south of the border.
This helped me tremendously as I began to understand in greater depth the nature of the situation and the purpose of the mission: That the stage is not quite ready for what is required to re-evangelise and revive the region to vibrant Christianity. Therefore, the task at hand is to prepare.
Mission to the North - The Critical Needs
The diverse moving parts/people required to network, collaborate, and share information/ideas/resources across borders.
The reiteration of the purpose of the Gospel.
The urgency and intentionality to be creative, innovative and proactive in contextualising the Gospel for impact in contemporary society.
The critical events that need to happen at strategic times.
The stage to be set for God's appointed time.
The Big Question...
Are you (or someone you know) one of the essential moving parts? If so, please stand up and step forward...
YOU ARE NEEDED!
Mission to the North - Good News
An organisation in Glasgow called Give Us Scotland, says:
We are delighted to say that we are now working with 7 church plants from our pilot year (23-24) and are adding 5 so far this year (24-25). They are a great bunch of folks doing amazing things…
Rays of hope and signs of things to come.
Mission to the North - Conclusion
We know the story of John Knox, the Great Reformer of the1500s. Whatever happened since that significant reformation, it befits us to seek the Lord to restore His Fame in our land again.
And, it befits the South to rise up and take the rich spiritual capital that is taken for granted to the North, and to the ends of the earth, wherever that may be for you and I. That is the great task of our generation, before we hand over to the next.
Considering the mission done, I parked the car, boarded a plane, and returned to do the work required.
(March 2025)
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