2025 Church Life, Leadership, and Planting (Advanced) Network
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The Church Life, Leadership, and Planting (Advanced) Network is designed to equip leaders with the theological foundations, practical strategies, and spiritual resilience needed to navigate the complexities of pioneering ministry in the 21st century. From embracing the mission of God and rediscovering ancient spiritual practices to fostering inclusive communities and addressing urgent social challenges, these sessions provide a comprehensive approach to pioneering and church planting. Delegates will learn how to embody the justice and hospitality of the Gospel in a pluralistic society, develop sustainable partnerships between mission and marketplace, and build vibrant communities that reflect the relational nature of the Trinity. By integrating deep biblical insights with contextual applications, this series will inspire and empower leaders to make a transformative impact in the places they are making Jesus known. Prior preparation will be set for all applicants.
What Network Participants Are Saying
- "I'm thankful to you for the opportunity to attend ELF and meet many experienced people who are able to share their knowledge and heart. ELF is a tremendous opportunity to get to know people who have the same vision, to learn from them, and to develop the ministry. Inspired plenary sessions, great fellowship, training at the Network, and deep and profound sessions at the workshops are great blessings for me. It will enormously help me in my ministry, helping me to be more effective in leading the people and spreading His Kingdom." - Mykola Sychev, Pastor and Executive Secretary of AMCU, Ukraine
- "ELF is a challenging conference. It's not just about great teachings. It also challenges me to apply those things in my work and life… It has been great to get to know many leaders around Europe. There has been mutual encouragement. I want to continue the process to grow as a leader and get new resources to develop our ministry for God's glory!" - Marko Mitronen, Pastor, Finland
- "I came into the Forum with hurt and was a little disillusioned about continuing in ministry. Through the encouragement of new friends, the prayers of fellow ministers, and new connections through networking, the Lord has answered my questions. I am now returning home with a fresh vision and energy to continue on in the calling God has placed on my heart." - Noah Johnson, Church Planter, Slovakia
Applicants should be involved in senior leadership within a local church or those leading or seeking to build a network of churches. This Network explores values, principles, and practices found in the New Testament for local church life, leadership, and planting. Applicants should be leaders who have previously participated in the Church Life, Leadership, and Planting Network.
Network Leadership
Network Speakers
Stef Liston has been married to Davina for 27 years and they have three adult children. He lives in London where he serves Revelation Church London as an elder, and he helps to lead the Relational Mission family of churches with a particular emphasis on teaching and training.
Maurice Nightingale is a member of the Relational Mission core team with responsibilities that include the supervision of early-stage church planting on the mainland of Europe, in particular training and coaching pioneer leaders and developing strategies for both initiating and supporting church… Read more
Vlada Stojanovic was born and raised in Nis, Serbia, where he graduated in mechanical engineering. He spent 4 years in the UK training in missions and receiving his education in theology and leadership, at the same time working in local churches. Currently, he is finishing his master’s degree in… Read more
Gordon Watson has been married to his wife Natalie for 19 years, and together they are adoptive parents to two young adults. In 2018, they planted Hope Church Sittingbourne (Kent, UK), starting as a small house church gathering in their front room. Today, Hope Church is an established community… Read more
Network Programme
Sunday, 18 May
“Of Issachar, men who had understanding of the times, to know what Israel ought to do….” (1 Chronicles 12:32, ESV)
In the face of rapid change, leaders must embrace a new paradigm of leadership rooted in God's ongoing mission in the world. This session will explore how leaders can navigate the challenges of discontinuous change by focusing on mission rather than maintenance. Drawing on the example of the Sons of Issachar, we’ll discuss how to read the local landscape and align with the Holy Spirit’s boundary-breaking work. By integrating contextual and practical theology alongside reflective praxis, this session will equip leaders to engage their world with a vision inspired by Jesus Christ’s mission.
“Thus says the LORD: 'Stand by the roads, and look, and ask for the ancient paths, where the good way is; and walk in it, and find rest for your souls. But they said, ‘We will not walk in it.’” (Jeremiah 6:16, ESV)
In the fast-paced and often chaotic environment of everyday ministry, maintaining a deep spiritual life is crucial for sustainable leadership. This session will explore how often neglected ancient spiritual practices—such as prayer, fasting, giving, and Sabbath rest—can provide a foundation for modern-day pioneering and planting. By prioritising spiritual formation over mere strategy, leaders can remain centered in Christ and responsive to the Holy Spirit’s guidance. This holistic approach to ministry ensures that pioneering endeavours are not just strategically sound, but spiritually vibrant.
Monday, 19 May
"Jesus said to them again, 'Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you.' And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, 'Receive the Holy Spirit.'" (John 20:21-22, ESV)
This session examines how the Trinity serves as a blueprint for prioritising vibrant, mission-oriented communities. By understanding the relational nature of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, leaders can cultivate church environments that prioritise belonging, and behaving as a response to faith. We will explore how to rightly understand and implement the Up/In/Out model in community life, moving beyond attractional strategies to embrace an incarnational approach, emulating the early church, and embodying the communal and missional aspects of Trinitarian life.
“Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me.” (Revelation 3:20, ESV)
In the diverse and complex environment of 21st-Century mission, the table becomes a powerful, yet simple symbol of God’s hospitality and a place of reconciliation. This session will explore how pioneering leaders can intentionally create spaces where everyone is welcomed and valued, regardless of their ethnic, social, or economic background. By tracing the biblical narrative from Psalm 23 to Jesus' communal meals, culminating in the eschatological feast in Revelation, delegates will be encouraged to consider the table as a central element in their ministry, fostering true equity, unity, and deep community connections within their churches and a place of welcome and rest to their wider world. The table serves as a tangible expression of the Gospel’s truly inclusive message, ensuring there is always room at the table for one more.
Tuesday, 20 May
“As we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.” (2 Corinthians 4:18, ESV)
This session explores the challenges contemporary leaders face in an environment where nothing seems fixed—high mobility, economic pressures, and waves of social issues constantly reshape the cultural landscape. What was once only true of the city is now true almost everywhere. Leaders are called to build a legacy that transcends these temporal changes by raising and releasing new generations of indigenous and migrant leaders from diverse cultural and ethnic backgrounds. We will explore how to move towards the glorious complexities of diverse multicultural and intergenerational congregations, focusing on how the eternal Kingdom provides a firm foundation amidst the continual flux of modern life.
“But seek the welfare of the city where I have sent you into exile, and pray to the Lord on its behalf, for in its welfare you will find your welfare.” (Jeremiah 29:7, ESV)
Focusing on the idea of being “Here for Good,” this session emphasizes the importance of collaborative partnerships in pioneering ministry, where churches work with the local community rather than simply operating in it. We’ll explore how mission and business can come together to create sustainable models of support for pioneering endeavours, while also offering avenues for engagement, friendship, and discipleship within the wider community. This approach to Kingdom collaboration ensures that churches are actively contributing to the social, economic, and spiritual well-being of their context, embracing a missional posture of collaboration and shared purpose.
Wednesday, 21 May
“Now while Paul was waiting for them at Athens, his spirit was provoked within him as he saw that the city was full of idols. So he reasoned in the synagogue with the Jews and the devout persons, and in the marketplace every day with those who happened to be there.” (Acts 17:16-17, ESV)
In the context of mission, church planting, and pioneering, this session delves into the complexities of making Jesus known in communities marked by intense pluralism and social polarisation. Drawing from Acts 17:16-17, we will explore how to navigate the myriad of ideologies and cultural shifts that challenge the church's mission today. The session will encourage leaders to consider appropriate apologetic strategies for engaging their urban context, while also emphasising the need for healthy biblical supply lines and accountability structures to sustain missional efforts. The focus will be on ensuring that leaders remain resilient and effective in representing the Gospel amidst the diverse spiritual and ideological landscape they are labouring within.
“The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord's favour.” (Luke 4:18-19, ESV)
This session focuses on the biblical mandate from Luke 4, where Jesus declares His mission to bring good news to the poor, highlighting the church’s role in addressing the needs of the most vulnerable. In today’s increasingly urbanised world, marked by the displacement of migrants and refugees, global pandemics, loneliness and isolation at epidemic levels, mental health crises, and ever-increasing extremes of poverty and wealth, the church must embody the justice of God. We’ll explore how Old Testament teachings on proper fasting and New Testament practices of sacrificial living and giving apply in our current contexts, challenging leaders to respond with compassion and justice in days of interconnected global turmoil.