Nicky Gumbel & Shaila Visser on Leadership During the Global Crisis and the Increased Opportunity for Evangelism
This episode introduces our friend Nicky Gumbel, a global pioneer in evangelism and the leader of one of the largest Church of England congregations in the UK. The conversation is hosted by Shaila Visser of Alpha Canada who interviews Nicky on a number of topics.
The COVID crisis is never far from our minds in this moment and Nicky provides helpful insight for the church leader. He encourages the listener to pray and seek renewed dependency on God. To be proactive and reimagine an established church as a start-up that embraces mobility and innovation. More than that, we are invited to be realistic about the nature and length of this Pandemic, while also remaining positive in regard to God’s sovereign ability to work great good out of bad situations. As Nicky points out, “God did not send the virus, but he can use it and this is not a moment to retreat, but to advance the kingdom of God!”
Nicky’s passion remains the evangelization of the nations through the Gospel of Jesus. As such, the topic of Alpha comes to the forefront of the conversation. Nicky admits that he has, in his own words, once again been proven wrong. He believed that Alpha would never work online, yet the success of Alpha online for their churches has been astonishing. Nicky shares amazing stories of what God is doing through their Alpha course during COVID-19 and why shifting online may be more effective than meeting in person. He ends the interview with a moving time of prayer ministry for Canadian church leaders.
Nicky Gumbel
Nicky Gumbel is the pioneer of Alpha and Vicar of Holy Trinity Brompton in London. He is the author of many books including Searching Issues and Questions of Life. He and his wife Pippa have 3 children - Henry, Jonathan and Rebecca.
“The healing of our land starts with the healing of individual lives.”
Episode Links
Nicky has written and released many incredible books geared towards skeptics & seekers that are available for purchase online in all the usual places. Here are two of our favourites:
Searching Issues - Searching Issues is a helpful discussion of the most frequently asked questions people exploring Christianity tend to ask. Objections like: Is faith irrational? What about evil and suffering? Do faith and science conflict? And many others. Nicky tackles these issues with his trademark humour, humility and accessibility. The end result is a readable, engaging, introductory level response to these tough questions, which is helpful to both the believer and the skeptic.
Questions of Life - Life is filled with questions. What should I wear today? What will we eat tonight? What should I watch on Netflix? Then there are the deeper questions like: What is the point of life? What happens when we die? Is forgiveness possible? Millions of people have explored these questions and more on the Alpha course. In this book, Nicky provides clear and concise answers born out of countless interactions with doubters, skeptics and seekers who have explored the Christian faith on Alpha. Packed with humour, compelling anecdotes, practical wisdom and insightful Biblical teaching, Nicky introduces the reader to the person of Jesus and his answers to life’s deeper questions.
“We take the opportunity every Sunday in our online services to pray ‘Come Holy Spirit’ and most people say ‘that was the highlight of the service.’”
Conversation Links
To see more on how Nicky’s church has pivoted their ministry during the COVID-19 crisis and for teaching from Nicky and his team, check out Holy Trinity Brompton online.
Nicky himself was surprised by how effective Alpha in the digital space has been for HTB. Alpha creates an environment where people are excited to bring their friends for a conversation about faith, life and God. Millions of people around the world have participated in the Alpha and many have discovered for the first time the transforming love of Jesus. Even during our current moment of uncertainty and physical distancing, countless Alpha’s have transitioned to running effectively online. Check out Alpha Online for more information about how to run it and to hear from Nicky on how Alpha online may be even more effective than the traditional format of meeting in person.
We have also posted some of our favourite sections of this interview on our Youtube Channel - here is one of them:
This episode was brought to you by…
Briercrest College and Seminary has been committed to raising up and developing Christians leaders for the last 85 years. With a goal to serve and bless the local church, Briercrest’s programs help the leaders of the future develop a biblical worldview, and hone the practical skills needed to succeed in the world of church leadership and nonprofit management. Every year hundreds of young adults choose Briercrest and experience an intentional discipleship community that helps them deepen their faith in such a formative time in their journey. If you know someone who could benefit from an education that focuses on spiritual formation, Biblical learning, and the practical skills needed to succeed as a leader, Briercrest is the place for them.
Coming Up Next
John Mark Comer
John Mark lives in Portland, OR, with his wife Tammy and their three kids – Jude, Moses and Sunday. He is the pastor for teaching and vision at Bridgetown Church, right in the center of the city. He is also the author of a few books; My Name is Hope, Loveology, Garden City, God has a Name, and his newest: The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry. As for education, he has his Masters Degree in Biblical and Theological Studies from Western Seminary, and is currently at work on a Doctorate in Spiritual Formation through Fuller Seminary and the Dallas Willard Center.