Is there space for another evangelical umbrella organisation? Or would it just duplicate what others already do?
Evangelical network Affinity has announced that it will be ‘championing the formation of The Gospel Coalition UK’. The news has been met with a mixture of support and concern from UK evangelicals.
Affinity – a network of over 1,200 churches and Christian groups – is now working with Tim Savage, International Director of The Gospel Coalition, to consider establishing ‘a UK-based organisation that is unique, but also benefits from the resources and knowledge of The Gospel Coalition.’
The Gospel Coalition (TGC) is an American fellowship of Reformed evangelical churches founded by Don Carson and Tim Keller in 2005. TGC UK will be based on TGC’s clear Confession of Faith, and provide events, resources, and public advocacy.
The response from UK evangelicals to the announcement has been mixed. On Twitter, London pastor Regan Blanton King shared his support, saying: ‘I believe this is great news. Thankful for Graham Nicholls and other friends from Affinity and their vision and leadership to see TGC UK established.’ Meanwhile, others questioned the necessity of another UK Christian network.
Commenting on this, Director of Affinity Graham Nicholls (photo above) shared with en: ‘There are plenty of UK-based Christian organisations and conferences – do we really need another one? We believe we need more encouragement to confidently and joyfully bring the gospel to our nation. We need more visible unity, especially among what we might refer to as conservative, broadly Reformed evangelicals.’
‘What we are trying to create with this new coalition will continue to enhance the many good things that are happening already. It will extend the reach for the gifted writers, apologists, preachers across our constituency and help us speak with one voice in the public square.’
When asked whether or not Affinity would dissolve itself into a new TGC UK, Graham responded: ‘The answer to that question is, it depends. It depends what shape TGC UK takes as to whether it should replace or complement Affinity.’
Concerns surrounding the formation of TGC UK have not been limited to just its usefulness, however. Others questioned whether the organisation would bring the unity that it seeks to.
‘Will this evangelical unity movement exclude evangelicals who believe in the leadership and speaking gifts of women, as TGC does?’, Dr Krish Kandiah (photo above) tweeted.
Speaking on the FIEC podcast, Adrian Reynolds asked, ‘It may be the elephant in the room … Affinity has always wanted to but never quite been able to engage with evangelical Anglicans and with New Frontiers … Do you think there’s a possibility that a kind of rebrand … and a shift towards Gospel Coalition would change that?’
While no final decision about how this partnership will look has yet been reached, Affinity are in a process of consulting with gospel partners outside their network. Graham Nicholls has described the reaction so far as ‘very positive’, but ‘with the completely understandable caution to be sure that what we create is accountable and useful to the church – that it adds something good to help and encourage churches in their gospel work, rather than just another para-church organisation with its own agenda.’
Evangelical Anglican leaders are among those that have been spoken to. ‘A number of those (Anglican leaders) have said they think this is a good idea that is at least worth … discussing,’ said Affinity Trustee John Stevens on the FIEC podcast.
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