Annual. Review ENCOUNTER GOD S UNCONDITIONAL LOVE

Transcription

1 Annual Review ENCOUNTER GOD S UNCONDITIONAL LOVE

2 Our Mission Agapé wants to play our part in bringing about spiritual change in the UK and beyond. We believe we can make the biggest impact on the whole of society by focusing our activity on four key areas of British life: A gapé helps people encounter God s unconditional love where they study, work and live through making multiplying disciples of Jesus. Our vision is big. We want to make Jesus known across the UK and beyond. We dream of a day when everyone knows someone who truly follows Jesus. This vision extends beyond our national borders and beyond what we could ever hope to accomplish on our own. Our strategy is simple. We believe that in order to see the growth of spiritual movements like Jesus did, we need to do what Jesus did: WIN people to Jesus by introducing them to his message, BUILD them up by helping them grow in their understanding of how to follow him with their whole lives, and SEND them out with the challenge to go and do the same with others. AGAPÉ STUDENT LIFE engages the university, helping students understand and respond to Jesus message in order to bring about social and spiritual change on campuses across the UK. AGAPÉ WORK LIFE supports and equips those who are committed to following Jesus and helping others to follow him in the context of their working life. AGAPÉ FAMILY LIFE works to strengthen families, helping to transform family relationships through practical tools based on biblical principles and knowing Christ. Family Life aims to give every person in the UK the opportunity to transform their family relationships. AGAPÉ GLOBAL LIFE Agapé is committed to sharing the gospel through word and action, both inside and outside of our national borders, connecting with cultures that have had the least opportunity to encounter Jesus: āā GAiN (Global Aid Network) is dedicated to bringing hope and tangible help to those who are facing poverty and suffering from disasters and conflict, seeing British lives transformed as people respond to humanitarian needs through giving and going. PIONEER TEAM Agapé s Pioneer Team aims to help Christians share Jesus by embracing a way of life in which Christ is made known through both acts of radical love and appropriately chosen words in their everyday relationships. RESOURCING THE CHURCH Agapé is also committed to the local church, providing training, help and resources for evangelism and discipleship, and working collaboratively in all areas of mission. 2 Agapé Annual Review 2016 Front cover photo by Aaron Ku

3 Contents AGAPÉ STUDENT LIFE AGAPÉ WORK LIFE AGAPÉ FAMILY LIFE AGAPÉ GLOBAL LIFE INTERNATIONAL MISSION PIONEER TEAM DEVELOPING CAPACITY FINANCIAL REVIEW FROM THE NATIONAL DIRECTOR There before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and before the Lamb. REVELATION 7:9 In Agapé, our vision and desire is for people from every nation, tribe, people and language to have the opportunity to encounter God s unconditional love and be forever changed by the grace shown in the gospel. We want to work with the wider body of Christ to equip believers to make Jesus known in the places where they study, work, and live which we believe will change the world. It is once again exciting to review all of what God did through our movements in 2016, and to share with you not only the stories of success and growth, but also the lessons we continue to learn from Him as we pursue the big vision He has given us. As you read of all that has happened, I would ask that you join us in thanking God for all He has done, and praying that all we do would continue to come out of a deep, abiding love for the Lord Jesus Christ and relationship with Him. On behalf of the Council of Management, I want to express our thankfulness for you and your partnership with us in the Gospel through your prayers, giving, and support. You are a constant blessing and encouragement to us. Yours in Christ, Gary Palmer Chair, Agapé Council of Management 3

4 Agapé STUDENT LIFE O ur passion is that every student in the UK should have the opportunity, not just to hear the gospel, but to learn to follow Jesus for the rest of their lives. we saw students give their lives to Christ in 2016 WHAT WE DO Agapé Student Life want to take the initiative in explaining the gospel in a clear and understandable way to the 99% of students who have never been given the opportunity to hear or respond. This happens in a variety of relational ways in every Student Life location. There are face-to-face conversations on campus, Student Life community gatherings (where faith is a topic of discussion for Christian and non-christians alike) and evangelistic Bible Study groups, as well as the simple method of ongoing friendships. Our desire is for our staff to be active in sharing their faith, but more importantly that our key students are coached and helped to live a lifestyle of audacious faith-sharing, whatever the context. FIRESEEDS In 2016, Agapé Student Life hosted our annual national student gathering, Fireseeds, in Birmingham, seeing students from every city in which we have a movement attending and engaging in outreach at Universities in Birmingham, as well as being equipped and envisioned together to share the gospel on their home campuses. WOMEN SPEAK OUT Our Women Speak Out campaign returned to Oxford and Newcastle, and for the first time also ran in Nottingham. This saw hundreds of female students coming through this campaign and engaging with Agapé Student Life. Our teams also saw students continuing to engage through small group follow-up designed for girls to explore different areas of life that affect them during their time at university whilst at the same time looking at what Jesus has to say about those things. SUMMER OPPORTUNITIES During the summer term Agapé Student Life London hosted a project team from the USA. They spent a month sharing their faith with almost 200 people, connected the London team with several students who want to continue to explore more about Jesus, and even saw one person become a believer. Agapé Student Life Birmingham held their annual PETE (Post Exams Training in Evangelism) week in partnership with seven other Christian groups and local churches in the city. Together they trained approximately 50 students in how to live and tell the gospel as well as helping many students actively and practically engage in evangelism on campus for the first time. There were also some students who wanted to meet again in the new academic year. GOVEMBER We also used our GOvember campaign in November as a platform to engage students and to encourage Christian students to be thinking about God s love for the world. Teams used GOvember in different ways across the UK: the Belfast team hosted 85+ students to a Thanksgiving meal and got to engage with many non-christian students; the Birmingham team took a group of students to join with Agapé Student Life Dublin to engage in evangelism in another culture for a long weekend vision trip; and the Oxford team took students on a vision trip to Russia over Christmas. CHANGE AND TRANSITION In 2016, we said goodbye to a number of Agapé Student Life staff, including our National Campus Director. We also welcomed to the UK a staff member who has worked with our sister organisations in the USA and Italy, to take on the role of Assistant National Campus Director. She has joined the SLELT (Student Life Executive Leadership Team), and has begun leading the area of staff care and development for Agapé Student Life staff across the UK. In 2016, we saw over 1,300 new gospel conversations initiated, and 11 students giving their life to Christ. We give thanks to God for his work through us. 4 Agapé Annual Review 2016

5 What I love about Agapé Student Life is that it is focused on God s work it s not about me and what I m doing to share the gospel, but it s actually about Him. I also noticed that the staff and other student leaders at my campus had such patience with people. I used to go to people, present them with the gospel, and leave it there. But they don t! They want to patiently see what God can do, building friendships with people and seeing God work through those relationships. This was a lifechanging model for me. ASA CHILDRESS, SECOND YEAR STUDENT, AGAPÉ STUDENT LIFE LONDON I ve seen Jesus at work in providing opportunities for evangelism. People are at a stage in their lives here where they re so much more open! They want to explore the possibility that there might be more to life than university, drinking, and going to lectures (or not going to lectures, as the case may be). They want to see if there s more out there and they re up for talking about it. HOLLIE TAYLOR, FIRST YEAR STUDENT, AGAPÉ STUDENT LIFE NOTTINGHAM To find out more go to To make a donation towards the work of Agapé Student Life, go to give.agape.org.uk/studentlife 5

6 Agapé WORK LIFE A gapé Work Life had two phases in 2016: the first was personal discipleship, whilst the second focused on product development. PERSONAL DISCIPLESHIP Discipleship functioned at two levels: large groups, and small groups or teams. In the first half of the year, Agapé Work Life held two evening events in London. There were 30 participants at each event. Each had dinner, worship and mutual encouragement through sharing experiences of faith in the workplace, focused around one of the 12 topics in The Biscuit Trail. Though these young professionals had little time to give, each gave up three or more hours on a weeknight! The second discipleship component was a small group or team system. The members of these three teams (Waterloo, Croydon and Bethnal Green) were generally more committed and would meet every two weeks. While many of the elements were similar to the large group, the treatment was more intense and required a higher level of commitment. THE BISCUIT TRAIL The second half of the year was focused on the development of The Biscuit Trail. This was designed by members of Work Life who believed (and continue to believe) that faith has a place in the workplace that one can live and share one s faith for a lifetime in any context including the workplace. The Biscuit Trail focuses on the sharing side of the equation and has 12 steps a person can take to share his or her faith with a colleague or friend. It s a baby step approach, making the communication of one s faith to others achievable for everyone. Each of the 12 topics is displayed on a card and has three instructional elements a working definition, strategy ideas and a story of how this element has actually been lived in London. Since the first release, Work Life has produced a face-to-face training package, an on-line training video and is in discussion about turning The Biscuit Trail into an app for smartphones. It has been well received all over the UK. As Agapé is part of an international network and organisation, good ideas spread rapidly. Since its inception, The Biscuit Trail has been translated and used in several countries in Africa, East Asia, New Zealand, Singapore and the USA. Owing to its popularity, a Biscuit Trail template package has been developed to enable quick translation and production. 6 Agapé Annual Review 2016

7 I used The Biscuit Trail with my church group. Everyone found it useful to look at a simplified version of what sharing your faith looks like when broken down into steps, and could evaluate what they were already doing and where they struggle. It also helped someone realise what was getting in the way of them being a good witness at work: they were able to deal with this through the official channels there and it led to reconciliation. STEPHEN, ASTON, BIRMINGHAM To find out more about how to get involved, contact info@agape.org.uk To make a donation towards the work of Agapé Work Life, go to give.agape.org.uk/agapeworklife 7

8 Agapé FAMILY LIFE A gapé Family Life works to strengthen families. We help to transform family relationships through providing hope and practical tools based on biblical principles and knowing Christ. Our aim is to give every family in the UK this opportunity. Events Agapé Family Life has been providing training, innovative programmes and resources to a growing network of volunteers to help individuals and churches effectively minister to churched and un-churched families in their communities. Our work provides a practical context of love and forgiveness for the gospel message. Our events allow couples, whether they are doing well or struggling, to engage with topics including God s purposes for marriage, communication, resolving conflict as well as expressing love. A DAY TOGETHER In 2016 we partnered with a number of hosts to offer seven A Day Together (ADT) couples seminars in six cities and towns: āā āā āā āā āā Birmingham Renewal Christian Centre Cambridge St Barnabas Church Eindhoven, Netherlands Trinity Church Gerrards Cross St James Church London All Souls Langham Place WHAT IS LOVE ACTUALLY? During 2016 we presented three What is Love Actually? (WILA) evenings, in Birmingham (80 attendees), Cambridge (30 attendees), and Gerrards Cross (127 attendees). WILA takes a light-hearted look at the subject of love with clips from the film and contrasts common cultural ideas about love with a practical Biblical view. The event includes personal testimony and we introduce a helpful relationship tool called The Five Love Languages (by Gary Chapman, used with permission). These shorter events are very accessible for everyone and are proving extremely popular and prestigious for the Agapé Family Life profile. In total, 237 people attended WILA in 2016 (805 since 2010). RESOLVING CONFLICT IN TEAMS Faith based organisations are often, sadly, poor at resolving internal conflict. We have a wealth of knowledge and experience dealing with this subject! As such, during 2016, we delivered two half-day seminars on Resolving Conflict in Teams to 19 Agapé staff from the UK and the entire Dutch staff (100 attendees). In total 843 people attended Agapé Family Life events in 2016 (4,353 since 2003). Seventeen people expressed an interest in finding out more about the Christian faith as a result of Agapé Family Life events in 2016, compared to five in We passed details on to the local churches for follow-up. āā London Blackhorse Road Baptist Church, Walthamstow āā As a man who went through the heartache of a failed marriage, divorced, and then remarried, the event brought new refreshment to the building of my new marriage! Newcastle Christ Church The event is sprinkled with personal stories by the presenting facilitator couples of the difference their faith has made in their marriages. In total 340 people attended ADT in the UK. We continue to measure effectiveness of the day which shows a significant benefit in key areas for couple stability, in particular: acceptance of partner, communication and resolving conflict. We also continue to receive excellent couple feedback. 17 people expressed an interest in finding out more about the Christian faith as a result of Agapé Family Life events. 8 Agapé Annual Review 2016

9 Network VISION & EQUIPPING 2016 Each year in January, Agapé Family Life brings together ministry partners, friends and supporters for the annual Vision & Equipping (V&E) weekend. The theme for V&E 2016 was GO! Colleagues from all over Europe joined our UK partners as we were inspired and challenged to serve and reach our communities in practical ways. Ninety three people were able to attend, from Cyprus, Germany, Ireland, Malta, the Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, and the UK. Feedback revealed what God had been doing over the weekend: envisioning and equipping people to take tangible steps to serve and reach their communities, all over Europe. FACILITATOR TRAINING In 2016 we trained four more facilitator couples, including a couple from the First Acts team, in facilitating A Day Together. They are the heartbeat of Family Life, being hands and feet in their local communities. This was the most diverse group we had ever trained, with those of Jamaican, South African, Sri Lankan, Iranian and British heritage. We look forward to seeing the impact of this greater cultural diversity. In August 2016, 26 cyclists and four support crew made it safely from London to Paris raising nearly 50,000 for the Toucan digital project. The adventure also brought about some wonderful new friendships. We were delighted to welcome Odette Clayton, Daisy Hill, and Larisa Stephenson to the team. Daisy joins Jane Josten in coordinating our events nationally. Larisa is assisting us with our finance administration. Odette is married to Mark and lives in Manchester, where she will be building a regional Family Life team in the North West. Small Group Ministry The Together small group material allows couples who attend events to take Agapé Family Life learning home, multiplying the ministry in their community and digging deeper into what the Bible says about relationships. Together combines practical tools with Bible study, effectively discipling couples and bringing God into the heart of marriages. Another benefit is that it builds strong friendships! Groups are running in many places across the UK and in other countries. We continue to see Together spread around the UK and overseas (groups have run in Australia, the Baltic, Cyprus, France, Germany, Malta, Namibia, the Netherlands, Portugal, South Africa, Spain, Surinam, and Switzerland.) The resource is available in several languages: Dutch, German, Spanish, and now in Greek and Portuguese. It s currently being translated into Ethiopian and Romanian. In the UK we launch Together small groups after our events. The number of known and registered group leaders grows slowly but steadily, with 69 leaders at the end of Groups consist typically of a lead couple and four others. We know that many registered group leaders have led several different groups. We continue to seek ways of encouraging and supporting new groups to start and to help them multiply, and are encouraged to continue to hear stories from the UK and overseas of individuals coming to faith through Together. In 2016, 12,750 unique visitors visited the three Agapé Family Life web sites (familylifeuk.org, adaytogether.org, togetherinmarriage.org). To find out more, visit To make a donation towards the work of Agapé Family Life, go to give.agape.org.uk/familylife 9 Toucan Toucan is a fun and In 2016, development continued of our key refreshing digital resource, way to invest in your Toucan. This is our relationship, first fully online encouraged by the marriage course, honesty of other real though it works for life couples. any couple in a longterm relationship, married or not. It is designed as a web app which provides couples with proven practical relationship tools, bite-sized video clips, real stories and simple exercises. The app also guides people through a constructive Couple Time to discuss and apply what they have found helpful. To aid engagement, there are some fun game-like elements too. We ran a beta test over the summer with over 200 users, which proved overwhelmingly positive, particularly amongst the millennial generation (those born between ). We learned a lot and made some adjustments ahead of the launch of Toucan in We are so grateful to everyone involved in launching Toucan, including St James Church, Gerrards Cross, and the cyclists and support crew who rode from Land s End to John o Groats in 2013 and from London to Paris in

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12 Agapé GLOBAL LIFE gapé s official A humanitarian partner, GAiN (Global Aid Network) has seen an encouraging second year of activity in the UK. Through 2016 the team has continued to build its work in responding to the needs of the marginalised and crisis affected people around the world. During my time at GAiN, I ve been able to see up close the inner workings of a charity and how what we do in the UK can have such a huge impact around the world. I ve washed cars, written articles, given speeches and packed supplies, all with the aim of spreading God s love to communities both in this country and farther afield. I ve loved every chance I ve had to get stuck in, supporting the charity to support people who desperately need our help. PHILIPPA STEVENS, GAiN VOLUNTEER As a worldwide network, GAiN exists to demonstrate unconditional love through relief and development projects. Through a growing network of 11 Resources Offices (in Australia, Austria, Canada, Germany, the Netherlands, the Philippines, South Korea, Spain, Switzerland, the UK and the USA), collectively GAiN was able to bring humanitarian relief to projects in 52 countries in Much of the focus for GAiN UK in 2016 has been on mobilising volunteers for collecting humanitarian relief as well as joining overseas projects. Beginning with an appeal for blankets at the start of the year and developing into a Winter Clothes appeal by the autumn, a total value of 45,000 of donated items was sent to families fleeing conflict in northern Iraq. This included the involvement of young people at a youth event in Norfolk when youth groups brought items to donate and then pack up with a message of hope. In addition to this, 21,000 has been donated for the continuing work of GAiN in Iraq, Syria and Haiti. As the numbers of refugees arriving in Europe from countries of conflict increased, staff and volunteers from GAiN UK were part of teams working in Greece to help bring a practical expression of hope through clothes and food distributions. Volunteers joined teams responding to the refugee crisis in Greece in partnership with GAiN Netherlands and a local church in Thessaloniki; a total of eight staff and volunteers went to serve from the UK. Together with Agapé Student Life, a team of students and staff also returned to continue working with our local partners in Cluj-Napoca, Romania, reaching out to Roma children and teenagers so they can see a better future. This team included eight students and five staff from Belfast, Birmingham, Cambridge, Newcastle and Oxford. The partnership together with Student Life has included involving students in collecting women s care packs for the teams to take with them to Greece, as well as participating in collecting blankets to send to Iraq. This has been a great encouragement to see a wider spectrum of volunteers engaging with GAiN from school-aged children packing boxes of winter relief, to older ladies knitting winter items for babies and children in Iraq. The UK staff working with GAiN continue to look for ways to integrate social justice and compassionate aid across our ministry areas and develop practical projects to involve volunteers in giving their time, skills and resources. To find out more about getting involved with GAiN visit To make a donation towards the work of GAiN, go to give.agape.org.uk/globalaidnetwork 12 Agapé Annual Review 2016

13 INTERNATIONAL MISSION e believe that every Agapé staff W member and volunteer should be growing in their commitment to God s mission in the world, as evidenced by their praying, giving and going. We also believe that we must welcome qualified and called individuals from other countries to serve alongside us here in the UK. To this end we are committed to providing frequent opportunities for staff and volunteers to serve God beyond their immediate locality. We aim to provide care and support for those we send and receive. LONG TERM MISSION Currently, there are British staff serving long term in Austria, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, the Middle East, South Africa, South-East Asia, and the USA. We are also blessed in the UK to have staff serving alongside us from Albania, Canada, Finland, Iran, Ireland, Malaysia, New Zealand, the Philippines, South Africa, and the USA. SHORT TERM PROJECTS During 2016, short-term student projects went to Malta, Portugal (Lisbon), Russia (St Petersburg), and Romania (Cluj-Napoca, in partnership with GAiN). Forty-nine students and staff were involved in these projects. As a national ministry we are also taking the lead in helping Agapé Europe establish cross cultural training for missionaries leaving their home countries to serve overseas. In the summer of 2016, British staff directed the training for 18 staff from across Europe starting international assignments in 2016/2017. PIONEER TEAM uring 2016, separate to our other D ministries, a team was formed to pioneer a holistic approach to ministry which is summed up as making Christ known in everyday life to those in your place; place being wherever you study, work, play, socialise and live. Rather than focusing on a specific audience or addressing a need, the focus is envisioning every Christian to see sharing Jesus as a 24/7 lifestyle. The drive for this comes from the ever-growing numbers of unchurched people and of those who claim to be non-religious, people who are not being engaged by traditional approaches to evangelism. Many of these same people have in their presence a Christian who could, if properly envisioned and equipped, be a witness to them for Jesus. These Christians are a greatly under-utilised resource within the church to reach the lost. The aim is to help Christians share Jesus by embracing a way of life in which Christ is made known through both acts of radical love and appropriately chosen words in their everyday relationships. Team members have been seeking to model and gain experience in this approach to ministry by engaging with people in their own place. This has taken the form of neighbours, community groups and social action outreaches. The intent is to befriend those in their place and in the context of the friendship demonstrate radical love and share the gospel in ways that relate to their lives. The team has been developing a study resource for Christians called Good Neighbouring: Living the Story of God in Your Place. The goal is to have a resource for church leaders to envision and equip their members. A trial edition of the booklet has been produced and was initially used by the Pioneer Team with one of their home groups, with plans for further development and trials into

14 DEVELOPING CAPACITY NATIONAL LEADERSHIP TEAM Under the leadership of National Director Lesley Cheesman, the Executive Leadership Team (ELT) is responsible for the strategic leadership, spiritual oversight and day to day management of Agapé. Agapé UK is accountable to the leadership of Agapé Europe, the Western European arm of Campus Crusade for Christ International. COUNCIL OF MANAGEMENT Agapé is overseen in the UK by the Council of Management (CoM). Under charity legislation, the CoM (also known as the Board of Trustees) is responsible for ensuring that Agapé is financially solvent, well-run, and delivering the charitable outcomes for the benefit of the public for which Agapé has been set up. In addition to their legislated responsibilities, members of the Council often act as a valuable sounding board to Agapé s national leadership, providing advice and support behind the scenes. INCOME Donations 2,559,305 Investment income 5,381 Sales of resources 17,601 Conferences 40,058 Total 2,622,345 Donations Total Income 2,622,345 Investment income Sales of resources Conferences FINANCIAL REVIEW 2016 EXPENDITURE Outreach work with Student Life (UK) Outreach work with Family Life & Community (UK) 980,038* 589,249* Outreach work with Work Life (UK) 233,772* Outreach work overseas 507,581* Short term mission projects overseas Grants to activities of overseas Agapé organisations Grants to activities of overseas non-agapé organisations 41,729* 103,951 2,484 Communications 88,407* Sales activity (Resource production and distribution) Cost of generating funds through appeals 27,490* 11,240 Other 13,266 OPERATIONS, COMMUNICATIONS & HUMAN RESOURCES The Operations, Communications and Human Resources teams serve our entire movement. These teams provide the resources for our field workers, including finance, communications, fundraising, IT, conferencing and member care. During 2016, a search was made for a new Operations Director as this position remained vacant, and our Communications Director went on maternity leave in the summer. During this period the responsibilities of these roles was shared amongst other members of the respective teams. A Fund Development Director joined us in 2016 and has started to identify areas for improvement to help our longer term fund development strategy. Progress was made through the year in reviewing and improving our data management and budgeting process. A new Operations Director has been appointed to join us in mid-2017, and our Communications Director will return from maternity leave around the same period. 14 Agapé Annual Review 2016 AGAPÉ UK STAFF British staff serving in the UK British staff serving overseas Foreign workers serving in the UK Total Staff Agapé staff members are responsible for raising funds to cover their own salaries and expenses. They develop a support team who regularly pray for them, encourage them, and give financially towards their work. Outreach work with Family Life & Community (UK) Outreach work overseas Total 2,599,207 *includes staff salaries/expenses Figures extracted from Report and Financial Statements for the 12 months ended 31 December 2016, available to view at Total Expenditure 2,599,207 Outreach work with Work Life (UK) Outreach work with Student Life (UK) Other Cost of generating funds through appeals Sales activity (Resource production and distribution) Communications Grants to activities of overseas non-agapé organisations Grants to activities of overseas Agapé organisations Short term mission projects overseas

15 FROM THE NATIONAL DIRECTOR...to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up, until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ. EPHESIANS 4:12-13 Looking back at 2016, it is a joy to see what God has been doing through our movements hearing stories of people encountering Jesus for the first time and having their lives changed by Him never gets old. It is such a privilege for us to be a part of His kingdom work! Students have been envisioned to share Jesus at their universities and have had their lives transformed by the grace and true freedom found in Christ. An astounding number of immigrants and refugees have been met with compassion and practical help, and have committed to following the true God for the first time. British staff, students and volunteers have followed Jesus call to go to the nations with the gospel. Marriages and families have been strengthened by practical tools and biblical principles. Christians around the country have boldly shared their faith, perhaps for the first time, in their workplaces and communities. It is also clear that 2016 marked a shift for Agapé as we looked to be intentional not just about frontline evangelism and discipleship, but also in passing on the knowledge, tools and passion we have for these things to the wider body of Christ: equipping believers all around the UK to share Jesus where they study, work, and live. It is a great desire of mine that Agapé continue to grow in our partnership with and service to the local church, reflecting God s heart for the nation and the world as we work together. As we celebrate our 50th anniversary in 2017, we are reminded again of the DNA that runs through our movement and the calling God has placed on our lives. We are passionate about sharing the gospel in the power of the Holy Spirit; creating a movement of multiplying disciples fully equipped to go to their community, their nation, and the world with the message of Jesus. Would you join me in praying that we would be a movement of people committed to following Jesus wholeheartedly, demonstrating God s love unconditionally, and equipping the body of Christ to share the gospel fully? Thank you, as ever, for your prayers, encouragement and faithful support over the past year. We are truly grateful. Yours in Christ, Lesley Cheesman National Director 15

16 Agapé helps people encounter God s unconditional love where they study, work and live through making multiplying disciples of Jesus. Go to to sign up to receive news and prayer requests by . Executive Leadership Team: Lesley Cheesman (National Director), Mark Daniel, Andy Dixon, Henri Duncan, Frikkie Greyling, Thad Hoskins, Bailey Marks Jr., Danielle Wilson Council of Management: Gary Palmer (chair), Richard Boothroyd, Lisbet Diers, Javier García, Ian Johnson, Sally Taylor Panel of Reference: The Rt Revd Wallace Benn, Lyndon Bowring, Stephen Gaukroger, Ram Gidoomal CBE, Victor Jack, Josh McDowell, George Verwer, Sir Peter Woodhead KCB 167 Newhall Street Birmingham B3 1SW info@agape.org.uk 16 Agapé Annual Review 2016 Agapé has been giving training in discipleship and evangelism in the UK since We are a part of Campus Crusade for Christ International and are members of the Evangelical Alliance and Global Connections. Registered charity in England & Wales (258421) and Scotland (SC042332). Agape Ministries Ltd. Registered in England No Registered office: 167 Newhall Street, Birmingham, B3 1SW. VAT No