Upcoming Crucible Courses

Christians in western culture are facing profound challenges and fresh opportunities. The long era of Christendom is coming to an end. We now live in a plural society, with multiple religious options alongside secular assumptions, in which Christianity has largely lost its position of dominance and privilege. Although we seem to be declining in numbers and influence, this new environment offers new possibilities – if we have the courage and imagination to grasp them.

Crucible is a training programme for Christians with courage and imagination. It assumes that:

• We live in a mission context and need to think like cross-cultural missionaries.
• We need to think creatively about church in diverse and changing cultures.
• We serve the God who does new things on the margins.

Crucible runs three intensive training weekends in Birmingham each year to equip Christians to create church on the margins:
• 25-26 October 2008: Creating New Churches examines the principles and practicalities of starting new churches in contemporary culture.
• 21-22 February 2009: The Urban Challenge explores some of the opportunities and challenges of starting churches on the margins in urban communities.
• 4-5 July 2009: Emerging Church investigates the fresh expressions of church that are emerging on the margins of both church and society.
Crucible (now in its fourth year) is sponsored by Urban Expression, Workshop and ALOVE (Salvation Army).

For further information, or to book a place, complete and return the response form. You can find out more at: www.urbanexpression.org.uk/crucible or contact us at crucible@urbanexpression.org.uk