Here's a picture of some of the youth (and leadership) and Pastor Kenn Baird (to the right) of the New Life Church in Hastings, England.  I snapped off this photo quickly on my phone after a sunday service with them when I realized that I had forgot to bring my camera to the service.  

I had a delightful time visiting with Kenn Baird (National Leader for Foursquare Great Britain) and his family in Hastings.  The main purpose for the visit was to collaborate in planning our regional youth camp for this summer.  It was also a wonderful opportunnity to see and hear about the Foursquare Churches in Great Britain.  The New Life church in Hastings recently acquired a new meeting location right in the heart of downtown Hastings.  In a time when we have seen countless church growth strategies rise and fall along with the tension of defining what "success" and "growth" are in the context of the church, I have found it very interesting how the Hastings church has been formed.  Kenn tells me that they have exactly fifty-one chairs in their sanctuary.  "Fifty for the congregation," he says, "and one for me."  When their congregation reaches fifty people, they see that as the time to send out "missionaries" to plant a new church.  They are already in the process of preparing a young couple to do just that.  The size of their building accomodates exactly that size of a congregation beautifully.

Kenn is very much a missionary pastor, and his church is quite missional: toward each other (caring for needs), in their community (serving), and outwardly (to other lands).  He would be the first to say that their way is not the only way, but just the way that has worked for them in their response to the call of God.

That Sunday, Kenn shared a message about "sewing seeds."  One point that really stuck with me was that Jesus tells and models to us that we are to give out of our need rather than only our surpluss.  This caused me to ask myself the question, "Am I waiting for a surpluss so that I can give, or do I give at my very point of need?"  This response is modeled in the way that New Life Hastings Church lives within their community, and I am thankful for my new friends there.